“Asidisi” Scholarship Program annually organized by the Ministry of Mass Media with the objective of equipping all journalists with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to establish the art of professional journalism, would have its Scholarship Awarding Ceremony this time on Wednesday, December 21, 2022 at 09:00 a.m. at the auditorium of the Ministry of Mass Media. With the chief participation of Dr. Bandula Gunawardena, Hon. Minister of Mass Media and participation of Mr. Anusha Palpita the Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media.

The purpose of this project is to create environment for journalists to improve their skills via training courses and encouraging them to cope up with the challenges in the twenty first century.

Journalists, Freelance Journalists, Provincial Journalists Web Journalists and Media Technicians within the ages of 18-55 who have obtained the Identity Card issued by the Department of Government Information and have completed three years of full- time or part- time service in recognized electronic and print media institutions in the island would be awarded with this scholarship on non-refundable basis.

A maximum amount of two hundred thousand rupees (200,000.00) for undergraduate and postgraduate courses or one hundred thousand rupees (100,000.00) for short or long term certificate courses, diplomas and advanced diploma courses would be offered under this scholarship program. Scholarship recipients can take media related courses conducted by recognized universities and higher educational training institutions.

Under this scheme of scholarship, the journalists have the opportunity to reap its benefits twice without paying any amount of money and the journalists who have successfully completed the course can apply for the second chance in five years after being qualified for the 1^st time.            

Journalists who are eligible for the scholarship will be paid 50% of the course fee at the beginning of the course as the first installment, 25% of the remaining 50% as the second installment and the remaining 25% at the submission of the certificate after the successful completion of the course. 

The beneficiaries were selected after interviewing the applicants by a committee elected by the Secretary to the Mass Media Ministry.

Among the journalists who had applied for the scholarship this time, the Ministry of Mass Media has taken steps to offer this scholarship to everyone who has fulfilled the qualifications.