The government has decided to distribute vouchers for pairs of shoes for the year 2026 to selected school students, lay and ordained students in Pirivenas (monastic schools), and Seela Mathas before the end of the 2025 school term. The relevant proposal has been approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
This program, implemented by the Ministry of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education, is part of a new welfare benefit distribution system. The voucher will be issued as a secure “Thilina Patha” (Gift Card) featuring a QR code, which can be scanned using a mobile application.
The Cabinet has approved the proposal presented by the Hon. Prime Minister, in her capacity as the Minister of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education, to select 729,393 beneficiaries under this program.
The beneficiary categories and student numbers are as follows:
- Students studying in schools with fewer than 250 students, island-wide: 644,000
- Students studying in estate schools with 251-500 students: 53,093
- Students in 30 schools for students with special needs: 2,300
- Selected lay/ordained students in Pirivenas: 30,000
The government’s objective is to provide relief to the selected students, enabling them to acquire the necessary footwear before the new 2026 school term begins.
