‘Gamata IT’ expands

Tuesday, 3 May 2011 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Senashia Ekanayake

The Gamata IT initiative launched in 2009 with the declaration of the ‘Year of English and Information Technology’ expanded its network of partners by joining hands with the Tharunyata Hetak movement, with the intention of reaching 1,000 schools.

Speaking at the press briefing held on this occasion, Microsoft Country Manager Sriyan de Silva Wijeyaratne brought out the importance of information technology and commented on the need for IT literacy.

“From now on, an individual’s literacy would not be gauged on whether they could read or write but on how proficient they are with technology,” he asserted.

He went on to say that as a leading software company in the world, it was their responsibility to look into establishing and uplifting information technology among the rural community. Figures revealed at the conference highlighted the need for approximately Rs. 250-300 million in order to facilitate the rural community.

Also present was Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena who provided statistics of educational institutions in the country declared that the following year would see the teaching of IT in co-education schools starting in the sixth grade. “In a world where IT is taught to children starting first grade, our country begins teaching of the subject only much later,” he noted.

ICTA Chairman P.W. Epasinghe affirmed that ICT was the primary driving force of the economy. He went on to say that while development began in the village, this would also result in the development of the country. “The IT literacy statistics currently stand at 30% and we hope to increase this to 75% by 2016.”

This event also saw the contribution made by Huawei Technologies Lanka towards the benefit of this initiative.