Recognition of 2025 A/L High Achievers in North
President’s Fund Begins Recognition of 2025 A/L High Achievers in the North
• Number of Student Beneficiaries Doubles This Year
• “The Government is Committed to Providing Quality Education to All Children in the Country”. — Speaker of Parliament Dr Jagath Wickramaratne
“The Contribution of the President’s Fund to the Program to Develop Human Capital is Commendable” — Senior Lecturer at the University of Jaffna, Swaminathan Vimal
The first program to recognize the high achievers of the G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination 2025 under the President’s Fund’s district-level recognition program for students who demonstrated outstanding performance was held in Kilinochchi.
Launched in 2025 as a new initiative of the President’s Fund under the chairmanship of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the program recognizes, at the district level, students who demonstrate outstanding performance in each subject stream of the G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination.
Under the program for the 2023/2024 academic year, each district recognized the ten highest-achieving students in each subject stream. This year, the number has been increased to 20 students in each subject stream.
Nearly 3,000 students from all districts across the island will be recognized this year. Each student will receive Rs. 100,000 in financial assistance, along with a certificate of recognition.
Accordingly, 480 students who secured positions from first to 20th in six subject streams across the five districts of the Northern Province, Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Vavuniya and Mullaitivu were recognized at the program.
Addressing the event, Speaker of Parliament Dr Jagath Wickramaratne said the Government is making every effort and demonstrating a strong commitment to supporting children’s education across the country. He noted that the President’s Fund has launched a number of programs to support the education of children from economically disadvantaged families and has further expanded these programs this year, making a strong contribution to the Government’s efforts in this regard.
Speaking further, Speaker of Parliament Dr Jagath Wickramaratne said:
“The future generation of our country is, first and foremost, the lifeblood of the nation. Education plays a vital role in this regard. The present Government is making every effort and demonstrating a strong commitment to providing the necessary support for education. As part of this effort, the President’s Fund has already taken a number of dedicated and determined steps.
In 2023 and 2024, the President’s Fund provided scholarship grants totaling Rs. 296 million to 2,960 students who secured positions from first to tenth at district level in the G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination. This year, you are even more fortunate, as the President’s Fund has decided to extend the Rs. 100,000 financial assistance to all students placed from first to 20th in each subject stream, rather than limiting it to the top ten. Accordingly, Rs. 280 million has been allocated for this purpose this year alone. Every step taken by the President’s Fund is aimed at providing relief and support to children facing economic difficulties.”
Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources Ramalingam Chandrasekar said:
“Today is a special day for the Kilinochchi District. This month marks two years since the present Government came to power and President Anura Kumara Dissanayake assumed office.
“It also marks 48 years since the establishment of the President’s Fund. Two years ago, it would have been fair to say that there was very little public discussion about the President’s Fund or its operations. Today, however, the President’s Fund, which belongs to the people, has truly become a fund for the people under the present Government. Services that were previously limited to Colombo have now been decentralized to the Divisional Secretariat level outside Colombo. This has brought the services closer to the people.
The Northern Province has faced certain challenges in education. Therefore, I urge students to make the best use of programs like this to advance their education. I also call on parents to encourage their children in this effort.”
Delivering the guest address, Senior Lecturer at the University of Jaffna Swaminathan Vimal said:
“Previously, scholarships were awarded only to the ten students who achieved the highest results in each subject. This year, that number has been increased to 20. This clearly demonstrates that our country has embarked on a path towards development. Two or three years ago, when we heard the term ‘President’s Fund’, we associated it with a place where even those facing serious medical conditions found it extremely difficult to obtain assistance.
Moreover, we learned that extremely wealthy politicians utilized funds from the President’s Fund to obtain medical treatment abroad. Therefore, we must focus on how this shift occurred, the underlying reason for it, or the path this shift reveals.
Decentralizing the President’s Fund activities is particularly important. It demonstrates that development, especially human resource development, is beginning to reach rural areas. Bringing State services to the rural level is essential. The decentralization of State institutions, including the President’s Fund, also demonstrates the Government’s responsiveness to longstanding political demands.
The university community has made a significant contribution to our country’s achievements. Accordingly, university students play a vital role in shaping the country’s future direction. This becomes clear when we consider the changes taking place in the country and the factors that have contributed to them. University life provides students with experiences that help them face challenges in society and work as a team. The support provided through the President’s Fund is ultimately aimed at developing the country’s future human resources into a skilled and capable workforce.”
Governor of the Northern Province Nagalingam Vedanayagam, Deputy Minister of Cooperative Development Upali Samarasinghe and President’s Senior Additional Secretary and Secretary to the President’s Fund Roshan Gamage also addressed the gathering.
Members of Parliament Sellaththamby Thilaganathan and M. Jegatheeswaran, Chief Secretary of the Northern Province Thanuja Murugesan, provincial public representatives, District Secretaries and other government officials, principals, teachers, parents and others were also present.