Over 350 students from Southern Province awarded Rs. 100,000 each for A/L excellence

A total of 361 students from the Southern Province who excelled in the G.C.E. Advanced Level (A/L) examinations in 2023 and 2024 were awarded an incentive of Rs. 100,000 each yesterday under a program launched by the Presidential Fund to recognise outstanding district-level performers.

A ceremony was held yesterday at the Rabindranath Tagore Auditorium of the University of Ruhuna to acknowledge the students from the Southern Province who demonstrated excellence in the G.C.E. A/L examination, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said.

During the event, a total of 361 students, 10 from each of the six subject streams across the  Galle, Matara, and Hambantota districts for both the 2023 and 2024 A/L examinations, received an incentive of Rs. 100,000 each. 

The President’s Fund allocated Rs. 36.1 million for this purpose. This initiative is set to be rolled out across all districts in due course, the PMD said.

Addressing the gathering, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake stated that following the new Government’s ascension to power and under the directives of President Anura Kumara Disanayake, the President’s Fund has been streamlined to expand its services and enhance transparency. 

He highlighted that past discrepancies have been rectified, ensuring that benefits now reach those who genuinely deserve them. 

The Secretary to the President also mentioned ongoing efforts to digitalise the Fund and decentralise its services regionally to improve efficiency.

Dr. Kumanayake further emphasised that education is the primary tool for children to succeed in life. He urged the students to make the most of these benefits, excel in their education, and become good citizens, thereby contributing to the nation’s triumph, it added.

Furthermore, Industries and Entrepreneurship Development Minister Sunil Handunneththi stated that the current Government has successfully transformed what was once “the President’s Fund” into “the People’s Fund,” making it an institution that provides services for the well-being of the public, the statement added.

Minister Handunneththi noted that previously, there were reports of the President’s Fund being misused for medical treatments and travel of political henchmen. He asserted that it has now been transformed into a public welfare institution.

He also stressed that students who advance through the free education system with the help of these scholarships have a responsibility. Minister Handunneththi reminded them, as future leaders, to fulfil their duties to the country and its citizens without fail. He urged them to commit to not engaging in theft or fraud against the country or its people, especially after benefitting from public tax money for their education, it said.

Women and Child Affairs Minister Saroja Savithri Paulraj expressed that providing children with the “wings of education” to explore the world is a key priority for the current Government and that education can foster humane citizens.

The Minister stated that education was a central focus of the current Government’s election campaign, and the President is actively working towards this. She added that the President’s Fund has started providing scholarships to academically gifted children, reflecting the Government’s aspiration to empower children through education.

Paulraj further pointed out that many of the attendees at the event would likely occupy significant positions in Sri Lanka or globally. She cautioned that if they do not become humane citizens, the substantial investment in their education would not yield its full benefits.

Sithmini Madanayake, a student from Southlands College, Galle, delivered the vote of thanks. She stated that this program presents a valuable opportunity for economically disadvantaged students to successfully pursue higher education and achieve success in life. She expressed immense gratitude to the President and the President’s Fund for this initiative.