Laptops for each student in 13 schools
Dharma Sri Abeyratne
In line with the national drive to arm the younger generation with
the knowledge of English and Information Technology, the Education
Ministry has taken steps to issue laptop computers to each and every
student in thirteen schools. The program is carried out under the �One
Laptop Per Child (OLPC) program conducted by the Education Ministry in
collaboration with the University of Colombo. The program is funded by
the World Bank. Under this program, 1,250 laptop computers will be
distributed to students in 13 primary schools.
In addition to the students, all the teachers and the principals in
these schools will be given a laptop each which costs around Rs. 25,000.
The contents of text books from Grade One to Five and the curriculum had
already been fed in to the computers.
A team consisting of 12 educationists have also prepared the study
materials which are to be entered into the computers.
The Information Technology Faculty of the University of Colombo and
Open Source Software developers have supported the software developing
process, an Education Ministry source said. The laptop computer has been
designed for rough use since used by children and powered by two power
sources-electricity and solar power. Apart from the operating system in
English, the children can operate the computer either in Sinhala or
Tamil languages.
The computer comes with a sound system enabling students to play
sound tracks. This facility helps students to learn music, pronunciation
of words and learning aesthetic subjects etc.
The bright screen provides the maximum viewing opportunity to the
user even in broad day light.
�Since the laptop computer can be operated by solar power it may be
an ideal solution for the underprivileged schools which are without
electricity supply.
The computer can probably be a tool which increases the �quality of
education� in terms of high feed back, Secretary to the Education
Ministry Nimal Bandara said.
Thirteen schools have been selected from among schools which are
categorised as underprivileged schools. The schools are Kalogahaela P.V.
in Galewela education zone, Mawattegama P.V. in Thambuttegama zone, Sri
Vaithilingam P.V. in Jaffna zone, Ganangamuwa P.V. in Maho zone, Hegoda
Sooriya P.V. in Ambalangoda zone, Seelarathana P.V. in Gampaha zone,
Blackwood P.V. in Bandarawela zone, Deliwala Tissa P.V. in Mawanella
zone, Tharul Hasanath P.V. in Akkaraipattu, Katawala K.V. and
Saraswathie P.V. in Kurunegala zone, Kukulkatuwa P.V. in Anuradhapura
zone, Waihena K.V. in Galle zone.
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