School coaches in Sri Lanka are going through lots of hardship as 90% of schools are not paying their wages for months now, despite the timely financial assistance from the Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC) and a directive from the Sports Ministry, Cricket Age exclusively learns.
Cricket Age has led an extensive coverage of the ongoing turmoil, which school coaches are facing since the March this year, when Covid-19 outbreak emerged for the first time. On May 14, Cricket Age had published that a large number of Schools in Sri Lanka have stopped their cricket coaches salaries during the ongoing Coronavirus crisis. The report had stated that only few top ranked Schools in Sri Lanka like St. Thomas, Royal College, Ananda College have been paying full salaries to their cricket coaches, while almost 90% outstation schools have not paid or paid only 25% salary to the coaches since March. The report further stated that then Education Minister Dallas Alahapperuma had issued a directive to schools, instructing them to pay at least 25% of salary to these coaches.
Then, on May 19, Cricket Age had published that the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) came forward to provide financial support in paying part of struggling school coaches outstanding wages, through the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association (SLSCA). The reports had stated that the SLC president Shammi Silva granted a lump sum amount of 4.5 Million for 225 registered coaches (LKR 25,000 per coach). This payment was to be distributed through the SLSCA.
However, the fresh inquiry of Cricket Age on the matter indicates that three months on, the situation remains the same! It has learned that a large number of schools are still using the circular issued by the Sports Ministry as an excuse!
“Majority of Schools are making use of this opportunity that arose as a result of COVID-19, by neglecting their cricket coaches. It’s sad to mention that the average salary of a cricket coach in Sri Lanka is about Rs. 40,000, but 80% are getting between Rs. 20,000-Rs. 30,000. It’s even less than 20,000 for junior level coaches. Now, just imagine a coach, who was getting a 20,000 salary, is now receiving only Rs.5000 over the past 5 months” an expert of Sri Lanka Schools told Cricket Age.
As per Education ministry regulations, School principals are authorized to appoint the coaches and their salaries comes from the all boys association and school development funds. In the pandemic time, however, it seems the majority of Schools are penalizing the coaches, that too without any fault.
“Most of the school coaches are working on a 1 year contract which ends in the month of March after the big matches. This year, the school authorities made use of this opportunity due to the Coronavirus and did not renew the contracts and saved money by putting coaches life’s in disarray. It’s pathetic to see most of the coaches are doing odd jobs like pumping petrol, working as delivery boys for Uber and PickMe, while some work in restaurants as waiters” the expert added.
It has also emerged that while the SLC granted 4.5 million for 225 coaches, the SLSCA has paid to only 135 selective coaches( (LKR 25,000 per coach), while giving lame excuses to others. Cricket Age understands that the newly appointed SLSCA president Thilak Waththuhewa and treasurer Manjula Vaas are responsible for this mess during a tragic period.
“Even though the school cricket doesn’t come under SLC, the cricket board was kind enough to grant the money, in order to extending a helping hand to coaches. However, it is shameful that the SLSCA, who didn’t bother to help coaches in crisis time through it’s own funds, has no moral responsibility to distribute SLC grant even. The SLC must ask some tough questions to SLSCA on this perfect mess” an insider at Sri Lanka Cricket told Cricket Age.
Key Points:
– St. Joseph College and St. Peter’s College have paid percentages of their stipulated salaries, which varies from 60%-90%, depending on the salaries.
– Leading school in Moratuwa has not renewed contracts of 6 coaches. Among them is a senior citizen, who has captained the college and won the big match in 1964.
– Royal college Colombo, Ananda College Colombo, St. Thomas’s College Mount Lavinia, Wesley College Colombo, Mahanama College have been paying full salaries to their coaches.
– Isipathana College , Prince Of Wales Moratuwa have not paid at all.
– D.S .Senanayake College paid only 25% off the salary, while Nalanda College paid 2 months full salary and for rest months 25%.
