September 14, Colombo (LNW): President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has announced plans to remove Value Added Tax (VAT) from school books, saying the move is intended to provide some relief to households facing rising education-related expenses.
Addressing a public gathering in Nochchiyagama, the President said the proposed tax exemption is expected to be included in greater detail in the Government’s forthcoming Budget.
He said preparations were already under way to implement the measure, which he presented as part of a wider effort to reduce the cost of essential goods and services for ordinary families.
The President also outlined plans for a substantial expansion of public-sector employment, revealing that approximately 121,000 new recruits are expected to enter the State sector. The intake will include around 23,000 teachers, he said.
Dissanayake argued that improving the country’s economic position would create greater scope for investment in education and other sectors regarded as vital to Sri Lanka’s long-term development.
The proposed VAT relief on school books, coupled with the planned recruitment drive, is expected to form part of the Government’s broader economic and social policy agenda to be presented through the upcoming Budget.
