New Year Bonanza for diplomatic officers: Children’s school fees to be fully borne by Foreign Ministry

• The Ministry, effective from January 1, 2024, will pay the of school fees of first children of diplomatic officials

In what appeared to be a new year bonanza for Sri Lankan diplomatic officers, the Foreign Ministry has waived off a previously introduced austerity measure on the payment of school fees and other related expenses of their children, the Daily Mirror learns.  

According the latest instruction issued, the Ministry, effective from January 1, 2024, will pay the total amount of school fees of first children of diplomatic officials stationed overseas and 80 percent of fees of their second children.  

They are entitled to tuition fees, admission or enrollment fees and examination fees conducted by the schools concerned in this manner.  

The Ministry will not cover expenses for other activities such as uniforms, transport, meals provided by schools and extra curricular activities.  

After the economic crisis erupted, Sri Lanka introduced cost cutting measures in the Foreign Service and paid only 75 percent of school fees of children. Also, it closed down seven missions.   Daily Mirror learns that as much as Rs. 1.6 billion was saved in this manner at that time .