236 university students with disabilities receive Rs. 100,000 scholarships

The President’s Fund has awarded one-off scholarships of Rs. 100,000 each to 236 students with disabilities studying at Sri Lanka’s state universities, allocating a total of Rs. 23.6 million under a new programme.

The inaugural ceremony of the “Sarasavi Diriyo Abhiman” scholarship programme was held under the patronage of Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya at Temple Trees in Colombo yesterday morning (July 11).

The programme recognises students with disabilities who have continued their university education despite the challenges they face.

All eligible students with disabilities currently studying at state universities will receive a one-off scholarship grant of Rs. 100,000 from the President’s Fund.

While 236 students were recognised at the inaugural ceremony, the total number of students eligible for the programme is close to 400.

Considering the difficulties faced by students travelling to Colombo, a separate programme for students from the Northern, North Central and Eastern Provinces is scheduled to be held in August.

A notable feature of the ceremony was that officials approached the students at their seats to present the scholarships, instead of requiring the students to come forward.

The President’s Fund said the programme provides national recognition for the dedication, abilities and educational achievements of university students with disabilities.

It is also aimed at empowering them and reaffirming the Government’s position that physical limitations should not prevent anyone from pursuing educational goals.

Addressing the ceremony, Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya said the Government is developing state policies based on the principle that persons with disabilities must enjoy the same rights as everyone else in society.

She described the launch of the programme as an important step in the Government’s efforts during the past one and a half years to make the President’s Fund more people-oriented.

The Prime Minister said gaining admission to a university in Sri Lanka is not easy, as only a relatively small number of the hundreds of thousands of students who pass the GCE Advanced Level Examination are admitted to universities.

She praised the students at the ceremony for overcoming many challenges and continuing their higher education with courage and determination.

“You are truly an example to society and to the entire country. We respect your courage,” she said.

The Prime Minister stressed that persons with disabilities are an integral part of society and must have the same rights as others.

She said the education system must recognise different abilities and create confidence that people can study, progress and reach the highest levels despite their differences.

Noting that students with disabilities gained admission to the university system only after a long struggle, she said they are now guaranteed the right to study subjects of their choice.

She said the authorities and universities are responsible for creating an environment in which students can exercise that right and continue their education without barriers.

The Prime Minister proposed that every university establish a special unit for students with disabilities.

She said the Task Force on the Digitalisation of Education should study the matter, adding that a pilot project has already been launched.

Universities must be able to welcome and support all forms of diversity, and this responsibility cannot be abandoned, she said.

The Prime Minister said a developed society cannot be built while leaving behind one section of the population.

She also praised the parents of the students, saying they had made major sacrifices and worked tirelessly to secure their children’s future.

The Government will make every possible effort to help the students use their higher education to contribute to Sri Lanka’s sustainable development and will provide the career guidance they need, she said.

“You are not a burden on the country. You are a valuable human resource to the nation. You are an integral part of this society,” the Prime Minister said.

Speaker of Parliament Dr Jagath Wickramaratne said the President’s Fund will mark its 50th anniversary in 2028 and that the new programme had been introduced two years before that milestone.

He said one of the main sources of income for the President’s Fund is a portion of the revenue generated through lottery ticket sales by the Development Lotteries Board.

Therefore, people throughout the country contribute to the assistance provided through the Fund, he said.

The Speaker said the President’s Fund had become a fund belonging to the people after 48 years.

He said the Government had taken steps to decentralise its operations instead of carrying out all its activities from Colombo.

The Fund is now operating more efficiently and taking its services directly to the public, he added.

The Speaker said it currently provides assistance to patients, students and families with different needs.

According to him, Rs. 4.46 billion was allocated for education through the President’s Fund in 2025 alone.

He said changes were taking place in the education sector to ensure that social and educational benefits were provided equally and that no group was left behind.

Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment Professor Upali Pannilage said the Government highly appreciated the initiative taken by the President’s Fund for persons with disabilities.

He said changing society’s attitudes towards persons with disabilities is a long-term process, but the Government is continuing its efforts to achieve that change.

The Government is committed to ensuring that persons with disabilities receive the dignified position they deserve and are able to live with dignity, he said.

The Minister said legislation was being prepared in line with international conventions to protect the rights of persons with disabilities.

He said the Government was working to have the proposed legislation enacted within a short period.

A separate Bill on sign language has also been drafted for thousands of people with hearing impairments, and its drafting process has been completed.

Steps are now being taken to enact it and grant legal recognition to sign language alongside Sinhala, Tamil and English, the Minister said.

Member of Parliament Sugath Wasantha de Silva said persons with disabilities are forced to face a struggle on two fronts.

Apart from dealing with their disabilities, they must also overcome social, economic, political and physical barriers, he said.

He said the students recognised at the ceremony had shown the courage and determination needed to overcome those challenges.

The recognition was not being given simply because they had disabilities, but because they had inspired society by showing that life’s challenges could be overcome, he added.

He described the scholarships as a social investment in students who had become examples of hope and determination.

The MP said the President’s Fund had been democratised, brought closer to the public and developed the ability to support different groups in society.

He reminded the students that every rupee in the Fund represented the hard work of the people and urged them to use the assistance as encouragement to become even more determined.

Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake said the administration was not satisfied with the way the President’s Fund had previously operated.

He said only a small group had benefited from it and its operations lacked transparency.

As an initial step towards transparent administration, the Government digitalised the President’s Fund, he said.

Its services were then expanded islandwide and taken to villages, allowing people to obtain assistance through Divisional Secretariats without travelling to Colombo.

As a result of these changes, the provision of benefits increased by 59% in 2025 compared with 2024, he said.

The Fund now provides medical assistance, allowances to low-income families and several other forms of support.

It has also increased the number of scholarships provided to students and continues to make a significant contribution towards Mahapola scholarships.

Dr Kumanayake said the Fund had awarded Rs. 100,000 each to the 10 students who achieved the highest results in every subject stream at the GCE Advanced Level Examination.

Assistance is also provided to children from families involved in selling lottery tickets, recognising their contribution to the income of the President’s Fund.

He said the “Sarasavi Diriyo Abhiman” programme was another such initiative, providing Rs. 100,000 to each eligible university student with a disability as support for their education.

Minister Professor Upali Pannilage, MP Sugath Wasantha de Silva, Secretary to the Prime Minister Pradeep Saputhanthri, Chief of Presidential Staff Prabath Chandrakeerthi and Secretary to the President’s Fund and Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage attended the ceremony.

President’s Fund Board of Governors members Sarath Chandrasiri Mayadunne and Professor J. R. P. Jayakody, Education Ministry Secretary Nalaka Kaluwewe, University Grants Commission Chairman Senior Professor Kapila Seneviratne, university vice-chancellors, government officials and parents were also present.

Members of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities and the Policy Committee on the Community of Persons with Disabilities also attended the event.