The Presidential Fund has initiated a programme to recognise outstanding district-level performers in the G.C.E. Advanced Level (A/L) examinations over the past two years (2023 and 2024). This morning (6), a ceremony was held at the Rabindranath Tagore Auditorium of the University of Ruhuna to acknowledge students from the Southern Province who demonstrated excellence in the G.C.E. A/L examination.
During the event, a total of 361 students, 10 from each of the six subject streams across Galle, Matara and Hambantota districts for both the 2023 and 2024 A/L examinations, received an incentive of one hundred thousand rupees (Rs. 100,000) each. The President’s Fund allocated 36.1 million rupees for this purpose. This initiative is set to be rolled out across all districts in due course.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the President, stated that following the new government’s ascension to power and under the directives of President Anura Kumara Disanayake, the President’s Fund has been streamlined to expand its services and enhance transparency. He highlighted that past discrepancies have been rectified, ensuring that benefits now reach those who genuinely deserve them. The Secretary to the President also mentioned ongoing efforts to digitalise the fund and decentralise its services regionally to improve efficiency.
Dr. Kumanayake further emphasised that education is the primary tool for children to succeed in life. He urged the students to make the most of these benefits, excel in their education, and become good citizens, thereby contributing to the nation’s triumph.
Mr. Sunil Handunnetti, Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, stated that the current government has successfully transformed what was once “the President’s Fund” into “the People’s Fund,” making it an institution that provides services for the well-being of the public.
Minister Handunnetti noted that previously, there were reports of the President’s Fund being misused for the medical treatments and travel of political henchmen. He asserted that it has now been transformed into a public welfare institution.
He also stressed that students who advance through the free education system with the help of these scholarships have a responsibility. Minister Handunnetti reminded them, as future leaders, to fulfil their duties to the country and its citizens without fail. He urged them to commit to not engaging in theft or fraud against the country or its people, especially after benefiting from public tax money for their education.
Mrs. Saroja Savithri Paulraj, Minister of Women and Child Affairs, expressed that providing children with the “wings of education” to explore the world is a key priority for the current government and that education can foster humane citizens.
The Minister stated that education was a central focus of the current government’s election campaign, and the President is actively working towards this. She added that the President’s Fund has started providing scholarships to academically gifted children, reflecting the government’s aspiration to empower children through education.
Mrs. Paulraj further pointed out that many of the attendees at the event would likely occupy significant positions in Sri Lanka or globally. She cautioned that if they do not become humane citizens, the substantial investment in their education would not yield its full benefits.
Miss Sithmini Madanayake, a student from Southlands College, Galle, delivered the vote of thanks. She stated that this programme presents a valuable opportunity for economically disadvantaged students to successfully pursue higher education and achieve success in life. She expressed immense gratitude to the President and the President’s Fund for this initiative.
Among those present were 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; Senior Professor P.A. Jayantha, Vice-Chancellor of Ruhunu University; Chandana Tilakaratne, District Secretary of Matara; W.A. Dharmasiri, District Secretary of Galle; and Bimal Silva, District Secretary of Hambantota. Also in attendance were senior officials from the President’s Fund, government officials, heads of security forces, parents and students.
As part of a series of specialized training workshops aimed at decentralizing the activities of the President’s Fund to the regional level, a workshop for subject officers in the Southern Province was held yesterday (05) at the Matara District Secretariat.
With the successful implementation of the process of accepting applications for medical assistance through all Divisional Secretariats islandwide, the President’s Fund has now taken steps to decentralize its other services as well.
Accordingly, a series of specialized workshops is being conducted across the country for Divisional Secretaries and subject officers involved with the Fund.
The first workshop was held in the Northern Province recently.
This event in Matara District Secretariat marked the third phase of the programme.
During the session, Senior Additional Secretary to the President and Secretary to the President’s Fund, Mr. Roshan Gamage, briefed participants on the mandate and operations of the Fund. Senior officers from the Fund also provided clear guidance on topics such as safety of digital system and usage, the process from accepting applications for medical aid to final approval and the subsequent disbursement procedures.
The workshop also included a discussion on common challenges faced by subject officers and potential solutions. Certificates for the participation were presented to the officers in recognition of their involvement.
At present, the President’s Fund offers a wide range of services, including assistance for poverty alleviation, educational scholarships, recognition of students with exceptional academic achievements, support for individuals with special needs, aid for children affected by wild elephant attacks, grants for those who have served the nation or contributed nationally, emergency and disaster relief.
Previously, these services were limited to Colombo for nearly 47 years. However, under this new programme, individuals in need can now apply through any Divisional Secretariat across the country.
This initiative is the result of a decision by the Board of Governors of the President’s Fund, chaired by the President, to make its services more accessible and efficient while also minimizing misuse.
The event was attended by over 100 subject officers from Divisional Secretariats including Matara District Secretary Mr. Chandana Tilakaratne, Galle District Secretary Mr. W.A. Dharmasiri and Hambantota District Secretary Mr. Bimal Silva, as well as staff members from the President’s Fund.
With the decentralization of all operations of the President’s Fund to Divisional Secretariats, the number of applications received has seen a significant increase. In line with this development, the need has arisen to educate and train the relevant staff of Divisional Secretariats on the newly introduced computer-based online system.
As a key next step, a special training program has been scheduled for officers handling President’s Fund matters in the Galle, Matara, and Hambantota districts of the Southern Province. This session will be held on July 5, 2025, at the Matara District Secretariat.
The primary objectives of this program include increasing the number of beneficiaries in the Southern Province, enhancing the quality of services provided, introducing a modernized online system, and equipping staff with the necessary knowledge and skills to deliver more efficient services.
Guided by the vision of the current President, the overarching goal of the President’s Fund is to transform what was once a centrally managed initiative in Colombo—benefiting only a limited group—into a true people’s fund that reaches citizens across the country. Similar training programs have already been conducted in the Western and Northern Provinces and are planned for other regions in the near future.
The President’s Fund, established for the people, continues to provide vital financial assistance to artists during their most critical times of need. Recently, financial support was extended to veteran vocalist Ishak Mohideen Beg for his upcoming medical treatments.
The event was attended by Hon. (Dr.) H.D. Sunil Senewiratne, Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, along with several others.
Three hundred students from the Northern Province who excelled in all subject streams of the 2023 G.C.E. Advanced Level (A/L) Examination will each receive a grant of Rs. 100,000 from the President’s Fund.
As part of a newly launched initiative to honour high-performing students at the district level for the 2023/2024 G.C.E. A/L Examination, the President’s Fund hosted an award ceremony this morning (22) at the Iranamadu Nelum Piyasa Auditorium in the Northern Province.
During the event, 300 students from the districts of Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar and Vavuniya, specifically 60 students per district, with the top 10 students from each subject stream, were recognised and presented with financial awards for their outstanding academic performance. The President’s Fund has allocated a total of Rs. 30 million for this initiative, which is expected to be extended to all districts in the future.
Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the President, addressed the gathering and noted that following the formation of the new government, the President’s Fund has been restructured and expanded under the leadership of President Anura Kumara Disanayaka. He emphasised that the Fund now operates with increased transparency, correcting past irregularities to ensure benefits are directed to the truly deserving. Dr. Kumanayake also mentioned ongoing efforts to digitise the Fund and decentralise its services to improve accessibility and efficiency.
He further highlighted that education is the key to a successful life and urged the students to take full advantage of the support provided, pursue academic excellence, become responsible citizens and contribute positively to the country’s development.
Also addressing the event were Speaker (Dr.) Jagath Wickramaratne and Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources, Ramalingam Chandrasekar.
A vote of thanks was delivered by Abhishek, a student from Jaffna Hindu College, who expressed heartfelt appreciation to the President and the President’s Fund. He described the programme as a valuable opportunity for students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds to pursue higher education and achieve their goals.
In attendance at the ceremony were Northern Province Governor Nagalingam Vethanayahan, Deputy Minister of Cooperative Development Upali Samarasinghe, Members of Parliament K. Ilankumaran, Rajeevan Jeyachandramoorthy and M. Jagadeeswaran, along with other public representatives. Also present were Mr. Roshan Gamage, Senior Additional Secretary to the President and Secretary of the President’s Fund, senior officials from the Fund, government officers, heads of security forces, parents and students.
The official launch of providing all services of the President’s Fund through Divisional Secretariats across the island took place this morning (21) at the Kilinochchi District Secretariat.
Coinciding with the launch, a special training workshop for officials in the Northern Province was held at the same venue, as part of a series of workshops aimed at decentralising the President’s Fund operations to grassroots level.
Since 7 February this year, applications for medical assistance from the President’s Fund have been accepted through all Divisional Secretariats across the country. Following the successful implementation of this programme, steps have now been taken to extend digital access to all other services offered by the Fund.
Accordingly, the public can now apply online for a range of services including poverty alleviation assistance, educational scholarships, recognition for academic excellence, support for individuals with special needs, aid for children affected by the human-elephant conflict, recognition for national and public service and emergency or disaster relief. This marks the first time in the Fund’s 47-year history that services, previously limited to Colombo, are accessible via any Divisional Secretariat nationwide.
This advancement follows a decision made by the Board of Governors of the President’s Fund, chaired by the President. It is expected to improve efficiency, expand access to a wider population and minimise opportunities for misuse.
Senior Additional Secretary to the President and Secretary of the President’s Fund, Mr Roshan Gamage, briefed attendees on the Fund’s responsibilities and range of services.
As part of the government’s digitalisation drive, the official rollout of online services of the President’s Fund also took place during the event.
Minister of fisheries, aquatic and ocean resources Mr Ramalingam Chandraseker, Northern Province Governor Mr Nagalingam Vethanayahan, the Kilinochchi and Jaffna District Secretaries, other senior government officials from the Northern Province, regional officers of the President’s Fund and its administrative staff were present at the occasion.
A programme to recognise high-achieving students who excelled in the recent 2023/2024 G.C.E. Advanced Level (A/L) examination at district level has been launched by the President’s Fund. The inaugural ceremony will take place tomorrow (22) in Kilinochchi, under the patronage of Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne.
As part of this initiative, 60 outstanding students from each district, demonstrating exceptional merit across all subject streams in the 2023/2024 G.C.E. A/L examination, will be selected to receive financial scholarships and certificates.
The first phase of this province-based programme will be held tomorrow in Kilinochchi. High-achievers from the Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar and Vavuniya districts who excelled in the 2023 G.C.E. A/L examination will be honoured at the event.
The President’s Fund is currently making arrangements to recognise similarly accomplished students in other districts in due course.
The President’s Fund has organized a provincial-level awards programme to honour outstanding students who excelled in the 2023/2024 GCE Advanced Level (A/L) examinations at the district level.
Under this initiative, 60 top-performing students from each district selected based on exceptional results across all subject streams will receive financial scholarships and certificates of achievement.
The selection process is conducted in collaboration with the Department of Examinations and the University Grants Commission (UGC), using official results published for the 2023/2024 exams.
The first phase of this programme will recognize distinguished students from the Northern Province who achieved top results in the 2023 A/L examinations. The awards ceremony is scheduled to take place in Kilinochchi on June 22, 2025, with all preparations now finalized.
Accordingly, the exceptional students from the districts of Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar and Vavuniya who performed remarkably in the 2023 GCE Advanced Level Examination will be honoured at the event.
Meanwhile, preparations are underway to hold award ceremonies in the other provinces shortly as well.
The acceptance of applications for medical assistance under the President’s Fund through Divisional Secretariats island wide commenced on February 7. Following the successful implementation of that initiative, preparations have now been completed to expand the digital system to include all other services offered by the Fund.
Accordingly, the public will be able to apply online via any Divisional Secretariat across the country for a wide range of services provided under the President’s Fund. These include assistance for poverty alleviation, provision of educational scholarships, recognition of students demonstrating academic excellence, support for individuals with special needs, relief assistance for children affected by wild elephant conflict, recognition of individuals for their national service or contributions to the country, Emergency and disaster relief.
This digital transformation marks a significant milestone, as it enables people across Sri Lanka to access services of the President’s Fund from anywhere in the country for the first time in its 47-year history, which had previously been limited to Colombo-based operations.
This move comes as a result of a decision taken by the Board of Governors of the President’s Fund, chaired by the President. It is expected to broaden access to assistance for a larger number of beneficiaries while also minimizing opportunities for misuse of the Fund.
With the decentralisation of the activities of the President’s Fund to District Secretariat offices, there has been a notable increase in the number of medical assistance applications received.
Consequently, it has become essential to familiarise relevant staff at these offices with the newly introduced computerised online system and to provide them with the necessary training.
As part of this initiative, a training programme has been organised for 21 June 2025 at the Kilinochchi District Secretariat. This session is intended for District Secretaries and subject officers handling matters related to the President’s Fund in the districts of Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar and Vavuniya in the Northern Province.
The primary objective of the programme is to enhance the knowledge and skills of the officials, thereby increasing the number of beneficiaries in the Northern Province, delivering higher quality services, introducing the updated online system and ensuring more efficient and responsive service delivery.
A key priority of the current President and the administration is to transform the President’s Fund, which was previously limited to a small group of recipients in Colombo, into a truly national initiative that benefits people throughout the country. In line with this vision, similar training programmes are expected to be implemented in other provinces in the near future.
