Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa today assured the striking teachers' unions that their service would be made a "closed service' after the next Cabinet meeting.

At a discussion held at the Temple Trees with representatives of the unions, the Prime Minister said a Cabinet paper in this regard would be presented to the next Cabinet meeting.

"Accordingly, I have informed the Teachers 'Principals' Trade Unions to be ready to work from next Monday," the Prime Minister said in a statement this afternoon.

Union representatives stated that they were aware of the economic hardships faced by the government and added they did not expect an "overnight salary hike". Howver, they urged the government to make a concrete policy decision to address the issue of salary anomalies in the teaching service