Web Patasala to promote IT among students

Atapattu BANDARA

The Education Ministry in partnership with the State Trading Corporation and Etisalat Company yesterday, launched a 'Web Patasala' to facilitate the gaining of knowledge of school children through the internet. The launching ceremony was held at the Sugathadasa Stadium under the patronage of Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena, Science and Techolongy Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi and Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga.

The main objective of this revolutionary venture was to provide school children with subject knowledge through the Internet from teachers approved by the National Institute of Education. Addressing the launching ceremony, Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena said the "web Patasala" was a concept of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, to empower the student generation with information technology and this would be further developed by providing schools free laptops with internet facility. He said that 340 national schools had received laptops, together with dongles under the first phase of the project.

Around 1,000 secondary schools which were to be upgraded under the government's programme of developing 5000 schools, would be provided laptops with internet facilities within this year. He also said that an agreement had been signed with the Etisalt Company to provide each and every school laptops with internet facilities within three years. President Mahinda Rajapaksa has directed the Education Ministry to augment the quality of education and introduce information technology to every school in the country immediately, he explained.

Secretary to the President Lalith Weerathunga said that 40 percent of the population in Sri Lanka were ICT literate while the rest would sooner be empowered with information technology as planned by the government. He said President Rajapaksa was keen on enhancing the quality of education and had paid his personal attention to school education.

He is determined to make a revolution in the field of education, he explained. He has promised to develop small schools in the country and provide the latest facilities as every students should be equally treated and equally learned. He urged the students of the country to make use of all possible ways to approach modern technology and be a true Sri Lankan, committed for the development of the country. STC Chairman Pradeep Gunawardena said that as a government institution, we shoulder this grave responsibility by understanding the importance of the education sector of the country. We are proud of doing something good for the entire student generation of the country, he said.

Etisalat Chief Executive Officer Dumindra Rathnayaka said this would be a tremendous opportunity for the students of the country to study under famous and very competent teachers of the country. Internet would let the entire student generation to be empowered by themselves and study everything which is impossible to learn, he pointed out.