Undergrads have been conducting free seminars for A/L students

The "Arunella" programme by the university students aimed at students from poor backgrounds in the eastern province has been in operation since last year.

A programme to help children at Venrasanpura school, Kantale, was launched on Saturday.

"We have been conducting seminars for bright A/L students and providing scholarships to students from poor backgrounds," said Chanaka Karunaratne, president of the Engineering Faculty Students Union.

Schools closure

"Another aim is to protest against the current tendency of schools being gradually closed in Sri Lanka," he told BBC Sinhala service, Sandeshaya.

Another aim of our programme is to protest against the current tendency of schools being gradually closed in Sri Lanka Chanaka Karunaratne, student leader

The union has been conducting classes in the night for bright A/L students in the east since last year.

Teachers at Venrasanpura school told journalist RG Dharmadasa that the students are struggling to fund extra curricular activities.

"Even today, each participating student contributed Rs.1500 towards the opening ceremony," dance teacher Thanuja Dilrukshi said.

99 percent of the students who sat for the O/L last year from the school managed to pass the exams, she said.

Chanaka Karunaratne added that the university students expect to launch their workshops in Tamil schools in addition to ones currently conducted only in Sinhala schools.