The Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education has announced plans to provide free school uniforms to students of government and government-aided schools, as well as student monks and lay students of government-approved Pirivenas, in January 2026.
The ministry said the People’s Republic of China has donated 11.484 million metres of cloth to Sri Lanka for this purpose, with all stocks already received at the port. The official ceremony to accept the donation is scheduled to be held on January 13, 2026, under the patronage of the Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education.
According to the ministry, approximately 4,418,404 students are eligible to receive free school uniforms this year. Arrangements have been made to begin distributing the cloth stocks to divisional education offices from January 19, 2026, to facilitate timely distribution to schools and students.
