September 08, Colombo (LNW): A new scholarship initiative aimed at securing the education of children whose parents have suffered misfortune while employed overseas is set to be launched under the auspices of the President’s Fund in Sri Lanka.
The programme is designed to support children whose parents, while working abroad, have either passed away, sustained permanent disabilities, or remain unaccounted for due to adverse circumstances.
The initiative, guided by the principle of ensuring inclusive access to education for all, will be a collaborative effort involving the President’s Fund, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Employment and Tourism, and the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment.
The programme was outlined during a high-level meeting at the Presidential Secretariat, where key officials, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, and Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage, convened to discuss ways to broaden the Fund’s reach and effectiveness.
Officials stressed that the goal is to remove educational barriers for children impacted by the loss or incapacitation of a parent working abroad—a demographic often overlooked in conventional support structures. With many Sri Lankan families relying heavily on income from foreign employment, unexpected tragedies can leave children vulnerable and at risk of dropping out of school.
Eligibility for the scholarships will be determined solely by the nationality of the affected individual, who must be a Sri Lankan citizen. The financial assistance is expected to cover school-related expenses, helping to maintain stability in the lives of these children during difficult times.
A formal framework outlining the application process and selection criteria is expected to be released shortly, ensuring transparency and consistency in how the aid is distributed.
