President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has proposed exempting exercise books and a wide range of printed educational materials from Value Added Tax (VAT) under the 2027 Budget.
Presenting the Budget in Parliament today (12), the President said the move was aimed at making essential educational materials more affordable while promoting access to education, knowledge and reading.
Under the proposal, textbooks, dictionaries, encyclopaedias, children's drawing and colouring books, educational publications and other printed books will be exempted from VAT.
Exercise books, which were already subject to VAT before January 2024, will also receive the proposed exemption.
Printed books and other printed materials became subject to VAT in January 2024.
President Dissanayake said the proposal recognised the importance of education and the need to ensure that essential learning materials remain accessible and affordable to the public.
