CDB gifts IT lab to Swarna Pradeepa Vidyalaya Kurunegala

Saturday, 11 May 2013 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Citizens Development Business Finance PLC (CDB) recently contributed to enhance the IT literacy amongst students of the Swarna Pradeepa Vidyalaya Thorayaya Kurunegala, with the donation of a much-needed IT lab. Over 200 students of the school will reap the benefits of this new IT lab. The Swarna Pradeepa Vidyalaya facilitates studies up to GCE Ordinary Levels.

This state-of-the-art IT lab, is fully furnished with HP computers, LCD monitors, printers, stationery, scanners, computer tables, chairs and other infrastructure. Telecom ADSL Internet facilities was gifted to the school as part of CDB’s island-wide CSR initiative. CDB Director/Chief Marketing Officer Malcom Weerasuriya, along with the senior members of CDB handed over the IT lab to the school.

Expressing his gratitude, School’s Principal W.H.M Jayathilaka said: “Education today is interconnected with technology which has become part and parcel of our lives. Our children were deprived of an IT education and access to the internet for a very long time. This gift by CDB has opened out our community to the marvels of IT skills.

“This is indeed a very important milestone in the history of our school. We are deeply grateful to CDB for this initiative. Not only will it enrich our school but also our entire community in Thorayaya.” Over 300 families live in Thorayaya and surrounding villages.

Speaking at the occasion Weerasuriya said: “We have been conducting IT lab projects for the past four years as part of strategic CSR to enhance IT education among rural youth. The world is becoming increasingly interconnected as well as competitive. In this context, young people must keep up with the competition and build networks to strengthen their employability.

“With IT skills being key pre-requisites for education and employment, this project at the Swarna Pradeepa Vidyalaya will spur these students to see their future in a positive light.”

As part of its national drive to increase IT literacy, CDB plans to carry out more projects of this nature in other parts of the country. Situating the project in the context of CDB’s ethos Weerasuriya said: “The country’s long-term economic progress is invariably connected to the opportunities available to its future generation.

“In view of this, our CSR strategy focuses on taking a practical approach to improve IT literacy amongst young children in rural areas of the country. We believe that this initiative will help these students to be more connected to the world at large and pave the way for them to acquire a more enriched and an informed world view. The project is implemented under the CSR theme of CDB ‘Pariganaka Piyasa’ (CDB technology centre).”