10th Parliament· 154 sittings on record · 30,475 speeches · latest 10 June 2026

The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya

Jathika Jana balawegaya· Colombo· 5 February 2026 ·Oral question: Ministry Statements: University Vacancies and Educational Opportunities

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The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya stated that parliamentary scheduling would return to normal to avoid clashes with religious observances. She said all children of Aswesuma beneficiaries receive stationery allowances, and that a pilot programme to provide locally manufactured shoes would run in two provinces in 2026, with possible expansion if successful and cost-effective. She added that Grade 5 Scholarship beneficiaries would be eligible for shoe vouchers from 2026, with the Government aiming to better identify and expand support for children in need.

Verbatim record (translated)

Machine-translated from Sinhala / Tamil / English

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, we will return to the normal schedule to avoid religious clashes. As for welfare, all Aswesuma beneficiary children get stationery allowances regardless of school size. We are piloting locally manufactured shoe provision in two provinces in 2026; if successful and costs drop, we will expand. From 2026, Grade 5 Scholarship beneficiaries are also eligible for shoe vouchers. We aim to correctly identify all children who need support and expand coverage annually.

Provenance

Source
Hansard, Thursday, 5 February 2026 ·No. 23269 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard
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Cite as: The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya. 10th Parliament, Parliament of Sri Lanka. Hansard, 5 February 2026. No. 23269. Politick, https://staging.politick.io/lk/speeches/12993