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Colombo, December 30 (Daily Mirror) - To mitigate the adverse effects on the education of vulnerable schoolchildren, the government has decided to provide an allowance to assist with the purchase of school stationery at the start of the 2025 school year.
In a notice, the Finance Ministry said that a survey revealed that 55 percent of schoolchildren have been adversely affected, with the percentage being higher in rural and estate areas.
Additionally, 53.2 percent of the affected children have either reduced or completely stopped purchasing school stationery, while 26.1 percent have resorted to reusing previously used items.
The “Household Survey on the Impact of the Economic Crisis – 2023,” conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics, highlights the significant impact of the economic crisis on children's education.
As a result, provisions have already been made to provide an allowance of Rs. 6,000 per child for schoolchildren from Aswesuma families.
The Treasury has taken steps to disburse the funds through Aswesuma bank accounts by December 27.
Further, it is expected that the necessary allocation will be provided to the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education in 2025 to extend this allowance under an appropriate mechanism, enabling other eligible schoolchildren to obtain stationery worth Rs. 6,000 per child.
The government aims to alleviate the financial burden of school education on parents through this programme, ensuring the continuity of children's education and securing their future.
