July 07, Colombo (LNW): A total of 361 high-achieving students from Sri Lanka’s Southern Province have been honoured with a financial award of Rs. 100,000 each, in recognition of their exceptional academic performance in the G.C.E. Advanced Level examinations of 2023 and 2024. The awards were conferred under a newly restructured initiative overseen by the Presidential Fund.
The celebratory event took place at the Rabindranath Tagore Auditorium of the University of Ruhuna earlier today, where students representing the districts of Galle, Matara, and Hambantota were acknowledged for their academic excellence. The recipients included the top ten performers in each of the six main subject streams across the two exam years.
In total, the Presidential Fund has disbursed Rs. 36.1 million towards this initiative. This is part of a broader, island-wide programme aiming to extend similar support to outstanding students from all districts in the near future.
Speaking at the event, Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the President, underscored the current government’s efforts to reform and revitalise the Presidential Fund. Under the guidance of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the fund has reportedly been streamlined to improve transparency and expand access to previously underserved communities.
Dr Kumanayake addressed long-standing concerns over the misallocation of public funds, noting that corrective steps have been taken to ensure that financial support now reaches genuinely deserving recipients. He also revealed plans for digital transformation and decentralisation of fund operations, aimed at improving administrative efficiency.
He further emphasised the pivotal role of education in national development, encouraging the young scholarship recipients to make full use of the opportunity presented to them—not only for personal advancement but to serve the country with integrity in the years ahead.
Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, Sunil Handunnetti, echoed these sentiments. He remarked that what was once viewed as an exclusive presidential reserve had now evolved into a people-centred welfare mechanism, rebranded as “the People’s Fund.” He spoke candidly about past misuse of the fund for the benefit of political associates and pledged that such practices have been discontinued.
Minister Handunnetti issued a passionate call to the students, urging them to uphold moral responsibility in return for the public investment made in their education. He implored them to act as ethical future leaders who reject corruption and remain accountable to the citizens who financed their educational journey.
Also addressing the audience was Minister of Women and Child Affairs, Mrs Saroja Savithri Paulraj, who described education as a fundamental pillar of the government’s national agenda. She highlighted the administration’s commitment to providing the younger generation with the tools they need to realise their potential, not only academically, but also as compassionate, socially conscious individuals.
Minister Paulraj stressed that the scholarships were more than just financial aid; they represented a promise to build a more educated, humane, and inclusive society. She expressed confidence that many of the awardees would go on to serve in positions of influence both nationally and internationally, and cautioned that their future decisions must be guided by ethics and empathy to honour the public trust placed in them.
A vote of thanks was delivered by Miss Sithmini Madanayake of Southlands College, Galle, who spoke on behalf of the student body. She described the initiative as a life-changing opportunity for students from less affluent backgrounds and expressed heartfelt gratitude to the President and the fund administrators for their support.
The ceremony drew a diverse gathering of dignitaries and stakeholders, including Members of Parliament L.M. Abeywickrama, Lal Premnath, and Aravinda Senarath; Roshan Gamage, Senior Additional Secretary to the President and Secretary of the President’s Fund; Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ruhuna, Senior Professor P.A. Jayantha; District Secretaries Chandana Tilakaratne (Matara), W.A. Dharmasiri (Galle), and Bimal Silva (Hambantota); as well as military officials, education administrators, parents, and the honoured students themselves.
