Schools Across Sri Lanka Recognised for Health, Wellbeing and Sustainable Initiatives

Sri Lankan schools have been recognised for innovative projects promoting healthier eating, active lifestyles, mental wellbeing and sustainability, with winning schools collectively receiving US$75,000 through the AIA Healthiest Schools Programme 2026.

Sri Lankan schools are being recognised for turning student wellbeing into action, with the winners of the AIA Healthiest Schools Programme 2026 announced following a nationwide competition focused on creating healthier school communities.

Now in its second year in Sri Lanka, the programme recognises initiatives built around four areas that can have a lasting influence on young people: healthy eating, active lifestyles, mental wellbeing, and health and sustainability.

The 2025/26 programme, which is endorsed by Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Education, attracted a record level of submissions, according to organisers, reflecting growing participation by schools seeking practical ways to improve the health and wellbeing of their students.

Mankadawala and Nauththuduwa Maha Vidyalayas Take Top Honours

A/Mankadawala Maha Vidyalaya emerged as the winner of the Primary School Category, while WP/MT/Nauththuduwa Maha Vidyalaya secured the top position in the Secondary School Category.

In the primary category, Unagaswela Primary School was named first runner-up, followed by Subharathi Mahamathya Maha Vidyalaya as second runner-up and MR/Hemachandra Maha Vidyalaya as third runner-up.

The secondary-school results saw G/Amugoda Maha Vidyalaya take first runner-up, Jaffna Hindu College secure second runner-up and Ku/Yatiwala Sri Gunananda Vidyalaya receive third runner-up honours.

US$75,000 to Help Schools Expand Their Projects

Beyond receiving national recognition, the winning schools collectively received US$75,000 in prize money.

The funding is intended to help schools develop and expand the health and wellbeing initiatives they have already introduced, allowing successful ideas to make a greater impact within their school communities.

Projects entered in the competition were assessed by a judging panel on factors including their impact, innovation and long-term sustainability. Many participating initiatives also reached beyond the classroom by involving parents, families and local communities.

Four Areas Shaping Healthier School Communities

Rather than focusing only on physical fitness, the AIA Healthiest Schools initiative takes a broader approach to children’s wellbeing.

These pillars are designed to encourage schools to think about student health as part of the overall learning environment, rather than treating wellbeing as a separate activity.

Mankadawala’s Yoga Programme Shows Wellbeing in Action

One of the most interesting examples comes from this year’s primary-school winner.

AIA’s Healthiest Schools platform identifies Mankadawala Maha Vidyalaya’s 2025/26 initiative as “We Relax – We Calm the Mind”, a yoga programme developed to support both the mental and physical wellbeing of primary students.

The school introduced structured morning sessions combining yoga, breathing exercises, movement and short periods of meditation. According to the programme’s published case study, the initiative was associated with improvements in areas including student attendance, engagement, concentration, discipline and cooperation.

Students were also encouraged to carry healthy practices into their homes, giving the project an influence beyond the school grounds.

The initiative provides an example of how relatively simple, structured activities can become part of everyday school routines while addressing both physical health and emotional wellbeing.

From Runner-Up to National Winner

Mankadawala Maha Vidyalaya’s achievement is particularly notable because the school had already participated successfully in the programme’s inaugural Sri Lankan edition.

In the 2024/25 competition, Mankadawala Maha Vidyalaya finished as second runner-up in the primary category. Its move to the top position in 2025/26 demonstrates the potential for schools to develop and strengthen their wellbeing programmes over time.

Jaffna Hindu College has also maintained a strong presence. It won the secondary-school category in the inaugural Sri Lankan competition and returned to the national results this year as second runner-up.

The programme was introduced in Sri Lanka in October 2024, with more than 100 schools participating in its first phase. Sri Lanka joined other participating AIA markets in the wider Healthiest Schools initiative.

Building Healthier Habits From an Early Age

AIA Insurance Lanka Chief Marketing Officer Sasith Bambaradeniya said the programme is intended to encourage positive habits during childhood and empower schools to become drivers of healthier futures.

The 2026 awards brought together students, teachers, education-sector representatives, regulators and AIA representatives to recognise the projects being developed within Sri Lankan schools.

Officials attending included Karunaratne Bandara, VP/Secretary to the Prime Minister; Insurance Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka Director General Damayanthi Fernando; and IRCSL Director – Market Development and External Relations Deepika Nawarathna. AIA Insurance Lanka was represented by Director and Chief Executive Officer Chathuri Munaweera and other senior representatives.

Programme Set to Continue in 2026/27

Following the latest competition, the AIA Healthiest Schools initiative is expected to continue during 2026/27, expanding its reach and encouraging more schools across Sri Lanka to introduce practical health and wellbeing projects.

For Sri Lanka, initiatives of this kind highlight an important shift in education: academic achievement remains important, but schools are increasingly being encouraged to consider children’s physical health, emotional wellbeing, lifestyle habits and surrounding environment as part of preparing them for the future.

The achievements of this year’s schools show that meaningful change does not always require large or complicated interventions. When teachers, students, families and communities work together, everyday school activities can help build healthier habits that may remain with children well beyond their classroom years.