The Sri Dalada Maligawa and the People’s Bank unveiled the ‘Sisu Diriyata Bodu Saviyak’ social service program during the Central Province Scholarship Award Ceremony of the Sri Lanka International Buddhist Academy Centre at its auditorium in Pallekele recently, a press release from the Bank stated.
The objective of the program is to support the education of children of Sri Lanka who have demonstrated talent in their academic endeavours but face hardship due to poverty. During this event, students who had successfully passed the 2023 Grade 5 Scholarship Examination were awarded scholarships up to Grade 11, commencing from 2024, it added.
This new ‘Sisu Diriyata Bodu Saviyak’ program is set to increase the benefits currently given and provide them to children from low-income families.Scholarships are to be provided to about 2,000 children covering 207 Divisional Secretariats in 16 districts across the island. The scholarships are selected through the Divisional Secretariats based on specific criteria. A monthly scholarship of Rs. 1,500 will be provided to children from low-income families, regardless of race or religion, for 6 years, during which the total amount received by one student will be Rs. 108,000.
Nearly 12,420 children will benefit from this program during the next six years. A sum of Rs.36 million will be provided as scholarships in the first year and it is estimated that Rs.216 million will be provided as scholarships at the end of the six-year period, the release added.
Sri Dalada Maligawa Diyawadana Nilame, Pradeep Nilanga Dela, Basnayake Nilames of the Sri Maha Naatha and Paththini Devalayas, People’s Bank Chairman Prof. Narada Fernando, CEO/GM Clive Fonseka, DGMr (Channel Management) Naleen Pathiranage, DGM (Human Resources) Manjula Dissanayake, senior officers, District Secretaries of Kandy and Matale, Divisional Secretaries, parents and a large number of scholarship recipients participated in the event, it stated.
Children receiving scholarship awards from People’s Bank officials
