School computer labs islandwide

Wehelle Piyathilaka - Maharagama special corr.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa had announced the Year 2009, The year of English and Information Technology.

The Education Ministry has made arrangements to set up 1,000 computer labs in schools islandwide, this year, Education Minister Susil Premajayantha said.

The lack of competent teachers to teach Information Technology was the main hinderance to develop this sector. As a remedial step, the Government has set up a College of Education to train teachers in Information Technology. It will produce over 1,000 teachers to fill the gap. These trained teachers will be sent to rural schools, the Minister said.

The Asian Development Bank funds this project.

The Minister was speaking at the opening of a computer lab Buwanekaba Maha Vidyalaya recently.

By now, 75 computer labs are given to schools in the North and East Provinces. Around 25 computer labs have been established in schools in the Jaffna district.

The Minister commissioned five computer labs in schools in Maharagama electorate in one day. The project cost was Rs. 6 million.

Kottawa North Maha Vidyalaya, Kottawa Ananda Vidyalaya, Maharagama, Buwanekaba Maha Vidyalaya, Maharagama Sri Chandaratne Manawasinghe Vidyalaya and the primary division of Kottawa Dharmapala Vidyalaya were provided computer labs.

English and information technology join the world, people and cultures for a better world, Minister Premajayantha said.