Government plans to increase funding for school sports development

The government plans to increase funding for school sports development, Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage said on Monday as the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports began distributing exercise equipment to schools under the School Cricket Development Programme.

Gamage said nearly Rs. 800 million had been allocated for school sports last year and that the government intended to secure a larger allocation this year.

“We are expecting to allocate more money to develop school sports,” he said.

The minister said Sri Lanka had yet to finalise a comprehensive system for school sports development and stressed the need for closer coordination between the Sports and Education ministries.

He said stronger grassroots development was also essential if Sri Lanka was to improve its performance in cricket and other sports.

“Administrative structures and systems alone will not produce good results. We have to foster talent from grassroots level and implement a proper system from school level to national level,” he said.

Gamage made the remarks as the ministry launched the first phase of distributing exercise equipment worth more than Rs. 65 million to 500 schools across the country. Equipment was handed over to 48 schools in the Colombo District at the launch.

The School Cricket Development Programme, initiated through allocations in the 2024 Budget, is being implemented jointly by the Presidential Secretariat, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association.

Under an earlier phase, 273 side-practice wickets and 76 playgrounds were constructed in 2024 at a cost of Rs. 408 million.

In 2025, cricket equipment worth about Rs. 350,000 each was provided to 325 schools. The latest phase involves exercise equipment kits worth more than Rs. 100,000 each, with particular attention given to rural schools.

A total of 500 schools have been selected for the programme under the supervision of the Sri Lanka Schools Cricket Association.

Pic cap - Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage handing over the exercise equipment to students of the Colombo District at the Sports Ministry on Monday.