President Ranil Wickremesinghe has given directives to make necessary arrangements at Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) depots to supply fuel to all buses and vans transporting school children.

The instructions were given to Transport Minister Bandula Gunawardena at a meeting held at the Prime Minister’s Office this morning.

Accordingly, SLTB depots will supply fuel to vehicles engaged in transporting school children, starting from 3.00 p.m. today (July 23).

All government and government-approved private schools are scheduled to reopen on Monday (July 25).

However, as previously announced by the Education Ministry, in-person lessons are delivered during normal school hours on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays until further notice.

On Wednesdays and Fridays, students will be given learning activities to be done from home or teaching will be carried out online.

President Wickremesinghe, at the meeting held this morning to discuss the fuel crisis, has directed relevant authorities to expedite and systematize the fuel distribution process across the country.

In addition, supplying fuel to state- and privately-owned buses engaged in activities related to fisheries, tourism agriculture and public transport sectors was also taken up for discussion at length.

Accordingly, it was decided that these sectors would be supplied fuel from SLTB depots and tri-forces camps.

Further, the focus of the meeting also fell on curtailing the selling of fuel at higher prices. President Wickremesinghe has instructed the police to expand raids to apprehend such individuals and groups, and to take strict legal action against them.

Meanwhile, the President and Finance Ministry officials have discussed the process to purchase fuel in the coming days and securing funds for the procurements.