‘Code Together with Oracle Academy’ advances computer science education in Sri Lanka

Hones coding and creative skills for students and teachers in local schools

Oracle Academy, Oracle’s flagship philanthropic educational program, recently hosted a ‘Code Together with Oracle Academy’ event in Sri Lanka. The initiative supports the country’s advancement of computer science education and inspires students’ creativity. Around 120 students, age 12 to 14 years old, across 10 schools in the Western Province attended the event aimed at sharpening their knowledge about coding concepts and gaining insight into latest tools and emerging technologies. 

“At Oracle Academy, we are thrilled to support ongoing work in Sri Lanka to inspire and engage students in computer science. This initiative provides an excellent opportunity for students to display their coding skills and it was heartening to see how they understood object-oriented programming concepts with a little bit of advice and guidance from us,” said Damian Haas, Regional Director, Oracle Academy, Asia Pacific and Japan.   

An Oracle Academy trainer conducted several informative sessions, as well as interactively taught students how to use graphic design software called Alice, a 3D educational software tool with a drag-and-drop interface for creating animations. A majority of these students had neither experience with computer programming nor 3D animations. However, students were able to develop amazing animations using their imagination, creativity and computing. 

“Skills and knowledge are the driving forces of economic growth and social development for any country. I am so glad to see the level of interest shown by these young minds,” said former Sri Lanka cricket captain, Mahela Jayawardena.” Events like these help generate Sri Lankan students’ interest in the field of Computer Science, provide them an opportunity to code in a collaborative environment, and equip them with the IT skills they need to compete in tomorrow’s job market.”

In addition to learning how to code, students had the chance to hear from a number of speakers at the event – Oracle partners, Oracle Academy members and guest speakers – who shared their experiences with participants on pursuing a career in the technology field and becoming a future leader of Sri Lanka. The students enjoyed the opportunity to create animations in a hands-on environment, completing a series of tasks on their own.

“I am thrilled to see the level of enthusiasm and level of interaction displayed by these young minds at “Code Together with Oracle Academy,” said Chandita Samaranayake, head of applications, Sri Lanka, Indochina and Maldives, Oracle. “These students are our future assets. Our aim is to provide the necessary exposure and interaction with computer science, while creating an awareness of the latest technologies, innovations and opportunities available.”

Attendees at the event included Chitranganie Mubarak, Chairwoman, Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka; Damian Haas, Regional Director, Oracle Academy, Asia Pacific and Japan; Mahela Jayawardena, former Sri Lanka Cricket Captain; and Chandita Samaranayake, head of applications, Sri Lanka, Indochina and Maldives, Oracle.

As Oracle’s flagship philanthropic educational program, Oracle Academy advances computer science education globally to drive knowledge, innovation, skills development, and diversity in technology fields, offering a free and complete portfolio of software, curriculum, hosted technology, faculty trainings, support, and certification resources. Supporting more than 3.5 million students annually in 120 countries, the program works with public and private partners to provide the tools educators need to engage, inspire and prepare students to become innovators and leaders of the future. Through Oracle Academy, students receive hands-on experience with the latest technologies, helping to make them college and career ready in the era of big data, cloud computing, the Internet of Things, and beyond.