Rs. 6,000 for school students to buy stationery

Cabinet approval has been granted to continue the financial allowance provided to school students for purchasing stationery items in the year 2026 as well. This proposal, submitted by the Hon. Prime Minister as the Minister of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education, has received approval, and accordingly, the steps taken to implement this program in 2025 will remain in effect for the upcoming year as well.

Under this project, children from families receiving Aswesuma benefits will receive an allowance of Rs. 6,000 per child to purchase school stationery, which will be disbursed through the Welfare Benefits Board. The primary objective is to provide support to children from economically disadvantaged families to continue their education without interruption.

Attention has also been given to other student groups who are not included in the Aswesuma program but are eligible to receive this allowance. This category includes students studying in schools with fewer than 300 students across the island, lay and monastic students studying in Pirivenas and Seelamatha monasteries, as well as school-going children residing in child development centers. For these students, an allowance of Rs. 6,000 per person will be paid through the Ministry of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education.