President Ranil Wickremesinghe has directed the resumption of the “Suraksha” student insurance program, which was temporarily suspended due to economic challenges. Starting from the first week of June, all school students across the island will once again be able to benefit from this insurance scheme.
The Cabinet recently approved a Joint Cabinet Memorandum presented by President Wickremesinghe, who also serves as the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization, and National Policy, alongside the Minister of Education Dr. Susil Premajayantha.
“Suraksha” student insurance was originally implemented in 2017 by the then Prime Minister, based on a concept by President Wickremesinghe. The program aims to ensure continuous education for students affected by health issues and to increase school attendance by safeguarding student safety. It ran until December 1, 2022, but had to be temporarily halted due to economic constraints.
With the current economic recovery, President Wickremesinghe has allocated Rs. 2000 million in the 2024 budget to revive the “Suraksha” student insurance program. The goal is to strengthen the program to develop the human resources necessary for a developed Sri Lanka by 2048.
The insurance will cover health and accident insurance for approximately 4.5 million students aged 5 to 21 in government, government-approved private, and private schools (grades one to 13), as well as students aged 4 to 21 in special schools. Additionally, the program proposes life insurance benefits for students from low-income families, defined as those earning less than Rs. 180,000 annually, which includes coverage for the death of a parent.
The anticipated benefits for all students under this program include:
1. Health Insurance:
Inpatient Treatment Benefits: Up to Rs. 300,000 (in Government or Private Hospitals). For each night spent in a government hospital for a child’s treatment, Rs. 2500 will be provided to the parents (regardless of admission to a government hospital, to assist with expenses incurred during the child’s illness). Additionally, for each night spent in private accommodation, Rs. 7500 will be granted.
Outpatient Treatment Benefit: Up to Rs. 20,000. This category covers payments for spectacles for pre-existing eye conditions, hearing aids for hearing loss, and laboratory test fees conducted by external hospitals during children’s illnesses.
Critical Illness Benefit: Ranging from Rs. 200,000 to Rs. 1,500,000.
2. Accident Insurance:
Total Permanent Disability: Rs. 200,000.
Permanent Partial Disability: Ranging from Rs. 150,000 to Rs. 200,000.
Temporary Disability: Ranging from Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 100,000.
3. Life Insurance:
In the event of a parent’s death, students from low-income families will receive Rs. 75,000 per student for one parent. Benefits cover both parents. All school-going children in the family are eligible for benefits, with a maximum allocation of Rs. 225,000 per case (Rs. 75,000 each for a maximum of 3 children).
For the implementation of this insurance program, the Ministry of Education will establish an agreement with the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation. A special system will be established to expedite the provision of benefits to school students, with benefits being delivered through the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation’s online platform within one week.
The Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation will transfer entitled benefit funds to the respective bank accounts of the children’s parents. To ensure the program’s success, government officials, including school principals and village officers, will establish a coordinated mechanism under the supervision of the State Revenue Unit of the Presidential Secretariat.
This program is a joint effort between the Ministry of Education, the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation, and the State Revenue Unit of the Presidential Secretariat.
--PMD--
