Budget 2026 sees increased bursaries, allowances in education sector
View(s):President Anura Kumara Dissanayake announced several allocations for the education sector in the 2026 budget on Friday.
Among them were allocations for students from low-income families, improving National Colleges of Education, setting up medical faculties and increasing Mahapola scholarships.
The highlights of the budget proposals for the education sector are:
- The government will continue to provide a Rs 6,000 stationery allowance to students in 2026 as well. Rs 9,000 million has been allocated under the Aswesuma Programme.
- Rs 50 million has been allocated to provide a monthly allowance of Rs 5,000 per disabled child from low-income families, based on medical recommendations.
- Rs 2,500 million has been allocated to improve common facilities such as hostels, canteens and common learning areas for students in universities.
- Rs 11,000 million has been allocated for the development of medical faculties at Sabaragamuwa, Moratuwa, Ruhuna, Uva Wellassa and Eastern Universities.
- Rs 11,500 million has been allocated for improving facilities and research activities at universities and higher educational institutions.
- The government proposes to increase the monthly Mahapola and bursary allowances for university students by Rs 2,500 to keep pace with the rising cost of living. Accordingly, the monthly Mahapola allowance will be increased to Rs 10,000 and the bursary allowance will be increased to Rs 9,000. The “Nipunatha Sisu Diriya Allowance” will also be increased by Rs 2,500.
- The allowance paid to National College of Education scholarship recipients is to be increased by Rs 2,500. An additional Rs 2,750 million will be allocated in addition to the amount currently allocated to pay the increased allowance.
- Rs 1,500 million will be allocated from the budget for the construction of hostels in selected universities, especially in the South-East, Jaffna (Kilinochchi), Vavuniya, Eastern and Sabaragamuwa universities.
- A programme to upgrade 9 vocational education and vocational training centres as Centres of Excellence, and to upgrade 50 training centres will commence in 2026. Rs 8,000 million has been allocated from the budget for the improvement of overall vocational training education, including Rs 2,000 million.
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