The Ministry of Education has announced that allowances for purchasing school books and supplies will now extend beyond families receiving Aswesuma welfare benefits.
Secretary to the Ministry, Nalaka Kaluwewa, confirmed that Cabinet approval has been granted to include children from economically disadvantaged families who are not part of the Aswesuma program. He assured that the selection process for these students will be expedited in the coming days.
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, citing data from the Department of Census and Statistics, revealed that 55% of schoolchildren continue to face educational setbacks due to the country’s recent economic crisis.
The Prime Minister also emphasized that children in rural and plantation areas are among the worst affected, with 53.2% of them having completely stopped purchasing school supplies.
This expanded initiative aims to mitigate the economic challenges impacting children’s education and ensure equitable access to learning resources.
