Teachers in the civil service who turn 55 years before the end of the year can now stay on until the end of the final school term.

Permanent Secretary for the Public Service Commission, Parmesh Chand said the Prime Minister based this decision following a request from the Education Ministry.

Previously teachers including head teachers and principals finished off on the day they turned 55.

However Chand said the Education Ministry now makes the requests and the PSC then acts on it based on the decision now made by the Prime Minister.