Empowering the next generation with Information
Technology:
IT revolution in Uva
In an era where many politicians and beaurcrats pay lip service to
incorporating IT to empower the next generation in their constituencies
it is both refreshing and timely to see a unique program bearing fruit
silently probably at the most remotest of provinces one can imagine in
Sri Lanka.
Five years ago it was considered most under-developed, it had some of
the poorest villages in the country and probably contributed lowest to
the country's GDP.
For decades many promised the people of Uva province prosperity, they
told tales of how they would transform provincial fortunes for the
better! People voted time and again! Yet as at 200X the fortunes of the
province remained the same.
It is said President Mahinda Rajapaksa has a knack for picking talent
and assigning them unique responsibilities. At UVA he went one step
further.
He not only picked a visionary and true leader but also picked the
eldest of the next generation of Rajapaksa dynasty for probably the most
low profile but yet unique challenge to bring prosperity to a province
that has been sidelined for generations.
Shasheendra Rajapaksa was given the highest mandate by the people of
Uva affirming President's foresight.
Whilst Chief Minister Rajapaksa's contribution was wide and across
multiple facets of the society, the aim of this article is to focus on
his unmatched effort in the sphere of information technology adoption in
the province.
Being an educated man Chief Minister Rajapaksa set about this task in
the most prudent corporate manner. First he identified a group of
advisors who could provide him with much needed wisdom.
He brought in qualified industry personnel to assist him in
formulating a strategy to incorporate IT in the livelihoods of the
people of UVA province. Together with his advisors his first task was to
invite the private sector to be part of this noble endeavour.
Heeding to his request large private companies lined up to be part of
this initiative. Nowhere in the history of this nation was there ever a
consistent program where so many global giants worked hand in hand for
such a long time.
IT programs
Big names in the industry notably Intel, IBM World Trade Corporation,
Microsoft Corporation, Oracle Corporation, Cisco corporation among
others actively took part in bringing to life one of the most ambitious
IT programs in the history of this country.
What follows is a synopsis of some of the work that was done under
the radar by some of these global giants.
IBM World Trade Corporation - Starting 2011 IBM World Trade
Corporation donated the IBM KidSmart Early Leaning Program (ELP) to the
Uva province which is valued at over US$50,000/-.
The IBM KidSmart ELP used most effective up-to-date hardware,
software and educational materials to give young children who were
attending kindergarten, childcare centres and other early childhood
learning settings in the province providing an effective jump-start in
their education.
The objectives of this program was to contribute IBM's unique assets
and expertise to pre-school education through the donation of
information technology, teachers' training and support and to enhance
the early learning technology and education programs at schools in the
Uva Province. The IBM World Trade Corporation provided an IBM Young
Explorer workstation consisting of a personal computer, a monitor and a
set of durable plastic furniture including the assembly and the
installation.
IBM WTC provided a Riverdeep "Best of Edmark" software and the
Teacher's Guide specially designed for the Young Explorer workstation.
IBM WTC trained 40 teachers, two per school on the package.
Intel Corporation - Uva Province has had the opportunity to be
benefited from Intel through its world-acclaimed educational
initiatives. The province now has more than 2,500 teachers trained in
using ICT under the Intel Teach program, conducted by Intel Sri Lanka.
2,958 teachers have participated in the Intel Teach program and Intel
Sri Lanka has conducted 326 teacher forums since they have started their
educational programs in the province.
Moreover, 156 master teachers, 56 officials and 128 principals have
also been trained through Intel teach. Intel has also provided more than
110 Classmate PCs - low-cost personal computers introduced by Intel for
children in the developing countries, across six labs which are namely
Pitikumbura M.V, Koularagama M.V, Mirahawatte Devananda M.V, Uva
Highland Tamil M.V, Barandarawela M.V and Moneragala Royal College.
Oracle Corporation - Teachers from Uva province participated in
Oracle Academy's SQL and Java Fundamentals training doing courses such
as 'Getting Started with Java Using Alice', Java Fundamentals, Database
Design and programming with SQL and Oracle ThinkQuest training for Uva
Province teachers by doing workshops to familiarise them on how to
create projects on ThinkQuest; an online learning platform for primary
and secondary schools, to "Think, Create and Collaborate," unleashing
the power of technology to teach, share, and inspire. Notes: As of July
1, 2013 ThinkQuest has been discontinued.
A significant amount of teachers has been trained under Oracle
Academy and Oracle ThinkQuest program during the past few years. "
Microsoft Corporation - Under the theme of "Uva revolution" the
company conducted a number of teacher training programs to bring the
skill level of the academic staff at schools across Uva. Global giant
donated a Multi Mouse lab to the Uva Province together with Shasheendra
Rajapaksa. Having understood the impact of the migrant worker
contribution in the province, the company opened two migrant worker
training centres with Minister Dilan Perera with a third scheduled to
open in October.
Technology
Over 400 primary schoolchildren introduced to technology in their own
classrooms, the youth of an entire province empowered with the ability
to broaden their horizons and take their lives beyond the limits of
their villages, parents who can now provide their children with the
promise of a brighter future through the use of technology, businesses
that will now benefit from innovations that were thus far out of their
grasp and an entire community that can now access the latest technology
on offer right at their local Nanasala - these are the possibilities the
village of Sevanagala in the District of Moneragala possesses, in the
wake of the third town storming session of the Microsoft Gamata IT
campaign.
The funds to start and sustain a local IT Club have also been
provided as part of this initiative, to gain the interest of the youth
of the area and to get them involved in the use of technology for
learning.
The club was launched as part of the campaign amid a high level of
interest among the youth of the area.
Cisco Corporation - Cisco had supported an initiative which was
channelled through University of Colombo to conduct workshops in the
schools in Uva province in building network competency. They also had
supported and demonstrated the technical lab setup for Dayata Kirula
exhibition at Buttala.
ICTA - Being the flagship IT agency in the country ICTA spear-headed
several key initiatives in the province including large career fair
which brought in over 3,000 students and over 100 teachers and
principals with a focus on building awareness on IT and BPO career
opportunities which is one of the five focus areas of the government to
make a billion dollar industry. Agency also conducted another unique
program with the help of 7 IT companies to raise IT awareness among
SME's in the province.
Reasonable period
Five years is a reasonable period for one to ascertain the impact
made by any politician. Shasheendra Rajapaksa has made his mark in a
silent but yet in the most effective manner.
The success of his IT initiatives speaks volumes about the
personality of this unique person. He never said he knows it all. Like a
true CEO he first built the team and then empowered the team to prosper
under proper leadership.
The result is an unprecedented response from the biggest of the
biggest giants in the global IT industry to help this small province in
Sri Lanka, Uva. |