SUPPLEMENTARY SUM: STATIONERY ALLOWANCE FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN OF ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED FAMILIES — The Hon. (Dr.) (Ms.) Harini Amarasuriya - Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, I move,

¶ 02 “That this Parliament resolves that, an additional sum not exceeding Rupees Six thousand five hundred million (Rs. 6,500,000,000) shall be payable out of the Consolidated Fund of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka or any other fund or finances possessed by the Government or any loan obtained by the Government at the discretion of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, for the services of the financial year commencing on January 01, 2024 and ending on December 31, 2024 and that, the said sum may be expended in the manner specified in the schedule hereto:-

¶ 03 Schedule

¶ 04 Head - 102 Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies (The name of the Ministry mentioned in the Appropriation Act, No. 34 of 2023 has been specified.)

¶ 05 Programme - 01 Operational Activities Recurrent Expenditure Rs. 6,500,000,000 Total Expenditure Rs. 6,500,000,000

¶ 06 (Cabinet approval signified.)"

¶ 07 Hon. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to clarify this proposed Supplementary Estimate. We all know that due to adverse effects of the economic crisis, there has been a significant negative impact on children’s education. According to the Department of Census and Statistics household survey, by now the education of 55% of school-going children has been adversely affected, with greater impact among rural and estate children. Of those affected, 53.2% have minimized or stopped purchasing school stationery, and 26.1% are reusing previously used stationery.

¶ 08 To mitigate these adverse effects and enable the commencement of studies in 2025, the Government has decided to provide an allowance for purchasing school stationery: Rs. 6,000 per child for families currently receiving Aswesuma. That is, all children aged 5–18 currently receiving Aswesuma will be eligible. Approximately 825,000 children are expected to benefit.

¶ 09 We recognize that there are other children facing educational hardship beyond Aswesuma recipients. Based on current information, we estimate around 250,000 additional children who are not Aswesuma beneficiaries will also need this allowance; we intend to cover them as well. Therefore, we seek Rs. 6,500 million for this Rs. 6,000 stationery allowance.