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TRC assistance of Rs 8.5 m:
ICT equipment for those with special needs
Sanjeevi Jayasuriya
Technology is a must to see the world and there should be no
discrimination in the accessibility to technology. Disability is not a
drawback and people with special needs too should be given the
opportunity to use technology, Telecommunication Regulatory Commission
of Sri Lanka Director General Priyantha Kariyapperuma said.
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A person with special needs receiving
ICT equipment from Telecommunication Regulatory Commission
Director General Priyantha Kariyapperuma. |
A ceremony was held yesterday to hand over ICT equipment worth Rs 8.5
million to schools, vocational training centres, Ranaviru Villages and
Universities for persons with special needs under the International
Telecommunication Union and Telecommunication Regulatory Commission Sri
Lanka project program with the theme information communication
technologies for dis-empowered and marginalized communities.
“We have a responsibility to assist people with special needs and
introducing ICT would improve their quality of life. “The country is on
the fast track to acquire satellite capability and it will be a reality
shortly. The technological development is the key in today’s context and
equipment provided will be of immense benefit to the recipients,” he
said.
There is a greater opportunity and ability to access ICT for
differently-able people as ICT plays an important role as a tool in
education. Due to 30 years of war, special attention was attracted by
the differently-abled people as there was an increase in the number of
people falling to this category in our country, Prof. D.P.M. Weerakkody
of the Peradeniya University said.
The Government needs to focus its strategies for the betterment of
disempowered and marginalized people to provide them with suitable
employment opportunities. We want to be a part of development and are
willing to contribute our share, he said.
We consider that people with special needs are capable of many things
and they should be included in the development process. It is important
that they are able to access technology and project of this nature will
go a long way to improve their living standards, he said.
Computer tables and chairs, multimedia projections, Braille software,
FM hearing equipment for hearing impaired children, photocopy machines
were provided for 69 centers including two universities, 33 schools, 17
vocational training centres and 17 Ranaviru villages.
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