Grade 13 students to receive Rs. 10,000 to invest in stock market under 2027 Budget

Students aged 18 and above who are studying in Grade 13 will be given an opportunity to invest in the Colombo Stock Exchange under a programme proposed in the 2027 Budget, Colombo Stock Exchange Executive Vice President Niroshan Wijesundara said.

Speaking at a media briefing, Wijesundara said the programme was intended to improve students’ basic understanding of the stock market and provide them with financial knowledge that could help them become successful entrepreneurs in the future.

Under the scheme, eligible Grade 13 students will be able to apply to take part in a course introduced by the Colombo Stock Exchange.

Students who complete the course and pass an examination will receive Rs. 10,000 each to invest in the stock market, he said.

Wijesundara said Rs. 500 million had been allocated for the programme.

He added that the initiative would not be limited to urban schools and would also be extended to students in rural and under-resourced schools.

The programme is intended to give students practical exposure to investing and help them understand how wealth can be built through the capital market.

Wijesundara said it would also introduce students to the role of the stock exchange as a source of capital for businesses, which could be useful if they later become entrepreneurs.

He said the initiative followed the President’s reference in the 2027 Budget to the concept of “a share for everyone, a unit for everyone”.