Imagine there being no reason to celebrate even after finding out that your exams have been cancelled. The financial crisis in Sri Lanka is set to impact almost 4.5 million students in the country. The island nation has cancelled term tests in schools in the Western Province as printers in the region have run out of paper.

The Education Department of the Western Province issued an order stating that school principals cannot conduct exams as there are no foreign reserves for printers to purchase paper. The exams, which are part of the continuous assessment system for students in the country, have been indefinitely postponed. They were scheduled to begin next week. 

According to a report by NDTV, the country is facing its worst financial crisis since 1948, when it gained independence from colonial rule. The country is facing an acute shortage of not just papers for examination, but also essentials such as groceries and electricity. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Wednesday, March 15, requested the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bail-out to help with its worsening debt situation. On Friday, March 18, the IMF confirmed that they are considering the request.