Increase in Mahapola schols

Irangika RANGE

The number of Mahapola higher education scholarships will be increased by 300 next year on President Mahinda Rajapaksa's instructions, Co-operatives and Internal Trade Minister Johnston Fernando said yesterday.

The minister said that 10,000 students from low income group families, who are qualified to pursue higher education but face financial difficulties, received Mahapola Scholarship grants last year. The number of Mahapola grant recipients will rise to 10,300 next year, he said.

Mahapola scholarships will be awarded to 10,300 students who obtained top marks at the 2010 GCE Advanced Level Examination and gained university admission. The government has allocated Rs 222 million for this, Fernando said.

He said around 40,000 students in universities, technical colleges and Law College receive Mahapola scholarship grants. "The government spends around Rs. 850 million annually for this," the minister said.

He said that the Mahapola Trust Fund was initiated by the late Trade Minister Lalith Athulathmudali in 1982 to provide scholarships for underprivileged youths to complete their higher education and to enable them to enjoy equal opportunities through the development of facilities for higher education.