COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka’s new restrictions on alcohol and drug promotion at school-related events will apply to activities held within school premises, but will not extend to major School Big Matches held at external cricket grounds, according to an Education Ministry official.

The clarification comes after the Education Ministry announced that the promotion and use of alcohol and drugs would be prohibited at events organised using a school crest or logo.

Under Circular No. 2026/10, the Education Ministry Secretary has been given authority to prohibit events where such practices take place.

However, the ministry said the restrictions are specifically focused on events conducted on school premises, including the sale of alcohol and the sale of alcohol to students.

School Big Matches not covered by the ban

The clarification is significant for Sri Lanka’s long-standing School Big Match tradition, which attracts thousands of students, parents, alumni and cricket supporters each year.

“We cannot regulate what is consumed at big matches, but the ban is the sale of alcohol at events within school premises and sale to students,” an Education Ministry official said.

The official added that events organised by old boys’ associations and other groups would not automatically be subject to the restrictions simply because they are associated with a school.

Sri Lanka’s School Big Matches are among the country’s most popular sporting and social events, with several traditional school cricket encounters having been played for more than a century.

Among the best-known School Big Matches is the Royal-Thomian “Battle of the Blues”, the annual cricket encounter between Royal College Colombo and S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia.

First played in 1879, the Royal-Thomian is widely recognised as the second-oldest uninterrupted school cricket series in the world. Royal College describes the encounter as having a history of close to a century and a half.

What the new rules cover

The Education Ministry introduced the measures to prevent the promotion and use of alcohol and drugs in school-related activities, particularly on school premises.

The rules prohibit the sale of alcohol at events conducted within school premises and the sale of alcohol to students.

The ministry’s latest clarification means the measures do not amount to a blanket ban on alcohol at major School Big Matches held outside school grounds. Existing laws and regulations governing alcohol sales and consumption, however, continue to apply.

The clarification is expected to be particularly relevant during Sri Lanka’s annual School Big Match season, when historic encounters bring together generations of students and alumni.