The government’s economic policy is aimed at benefiting the wider public rather than providing luxury to a privileged few, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya said.
She made these remarks while attending a scholarship award ceremony for students from the Northern Province at the Nelum Piyasa Hall of the Iranamadu Army Camp in Kilinochchi yesterday (21). The event was organised to recognise students who excelled at the 2024 GCE Advanced Level examination.
A total of 300 students from the Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mannar and Vavuniya districts who passed the examination with distinction were awarded scholarships.
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said Cyclone Ditva had caused damage across all districts in the country, affecting essential infrastructure, including schools, hospitals and roads, while nearly 50,000 people remain unable to return to their homes.
She noted that displaced elderly residents in the Northern Province had already endured prolonged camp life during the war and stressed that the government had no intention of keeping them in temporary shelters following the cyclone.
“We are restoring everything that was damaged and destroyed. We recently approved Rs. 500 billion for recovery without taking loans or cutting existing benefits. Sound economic management by the government and the President made this possible,” she said.
The Prime Minister said the government is strengthening the Treasury and ensuring proper financial management to deliver direct benefits to the people, including housing reconstruction, infrastructure development and livelihood restoration.
Special attention has been given to education, she said, adding that schools were reopened promptly to restore normalcy for children affected by the disaster. “A school should not only be a place to learn, but also a safe and happy place,” she added.
Dr. Amarasuriya said allocations for education will be increased from 2025, while funds have been set aside through the 2026 Budget to address student accommodation issues at the universities of Vavuniya and Kilinochchi. She also said investments are being made to strengthen schools in the Northern Province and across the country, alongside the expansion of digital technology.
Referring to a recent progress review conducted by the Ministry of Education, the Prime Minister said development in the Northern Province was not satisfactory and urged District Coordination Committees to function more actively. She also said steps are being taken to fill teacher and officer vacancies in 2026.
Emphasising that Jaffna remains a centre of education, she said equal importance must be given to developing education in Vavuniya, Mannar and Kilinochchi, calling for fair teacher transfers and balanced regional development.
