The Board of Governors of the President’s Fund, chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has decided to provide financial assistance to support the education of children from families impacted by frequent elephant intrusions into their villages.
Priority for this assistance will be given to families that have lost a member or have individuals injured due to elephant attacks. Additionally, children from families that have suffered property or crop damage will also be eligible to apply.
Eligibility for the programme will be determined based on the assessments conducted by Divisional Secretaries. Families must have children pursuing education from Grade 1 up to the G.C.E. Ordinary Level or Advanced Level to qualify. However, students who are already receiving the G.C.E. Advanced Level scholarship under the President’s Fund will not be eligible.
The financial support will be extended to families affected by elephant intrusions occurring on or after 1 January 2025. Under this initiative, students from Grade 1 to Grade 11 will receive a monthly allowance of LKR 3,000 for up to 12 months, while students in Grades 12 and 13 will receive LKR 5,000 per month for the same period. The disbursement of funds is set to commence on 1 April 2025.
Divisional Secretaries have been instructed to collect information on eligible children, conduct assessments, and submit applications with recommendations to the Secretary of the President’s Fund without delay.
