A project proposal submitted by
the LAcNet Board of Directors, 1999-2000
August, 1999
LAcNet/SLNet - an associated virtual network of academic professionals has long felt the need to launch a "Computers for Sri Lankan Schools project" using donated computers. This proposal attempts to make this a reality by establishing, on a pilot basis, a computer center in a school near Anuradhapura in the North Central province of Sri Lanka, to provide computer and Internet facilities to rural students. The aim of the project is to provide an opportunity to rural school children to gain competency in computer and Internet proficiency that will enhance and broaden their academic and entrepreneur skills. LAcNet with its solid academic base , non partisan commitment for enhancing educational facilities and opportunities in Sri Lanka, aims to implement this pilot project through a strong project implementation commitment and by building horizontal partnerships with Sri Lankan public and private sector organizations as well as with international educational organizations.
The project goal is the creation of a computer savvy student population in a rural school in Sri Lanka.
This years World Development Report, the annual report on the state of international development from the United nations Development Program [UNDP], is titled "Knowledge for Development" and reiterates a home truth, "knowledge is essential for development." This report makes a strong case for bridging the information gap between the elite educated urban dwellers and under-privileged rural populations through the use of new Information Communicating Technologies (ICTs) and states that " although the cost of using ICTs are high, the cost of not doing so are likely to be higher."
Visiting a rural school in Anuradhapura in the North Central province of Sri Lanka that LAcNet had selected for this project, a class of children was asked whether they were excited about linking globally through the Internet to their peers in other countries. There was a stunned silence until a young girl in her early teens softly replied that they were excited but they have never seen or touched a computer. The answer embodies why many rural communities find it difficult to envisage what computers - never mind the Internet - can do for them.
In the past few years, Sri Lanka has raised awareness of the Internet among its rural population through government radio and TV programs directed at non-users as well as users. Now this generated demand and interest needs to be matched with supply. The government has initiated some computer projects in several schools and set up 45 Computer Resource Centres. However, except for a few elite schools mainly in Colombo, only a few students have Internet access and the opportunity to explore this new resourceful meta-media.
Implementing LAcNet's vision of a sustainable cost-effective project providing computers with Internet access in a rural school has been a challenging task. Rural telecommunication infrastructure is poor in Sri Lanka with few service providers operating outside the capital Colombo. Worldwide much effort and interest has focused on increasing telecommunication penetration in rural areas through convergence of technologies and various innovative and resourceful new products and ventures. Whichever way the services are provided, and communities are linked to the Internet the battle is not won even when this initial hurdle of access is overcome.
The introduction of a hitherto unknown medium for learning, to a rural school where most children and teachers have had no hands-on experience with computers, let alone the Internet, and have minimum English competency is a daunting task. Given these constraints LAcNet's challenge was to find ways to make a reasonable difference at a reasonable cost and a sustainable difference in a reasonable time.
The purpose of the pilot program is to test the demand and utilization of computers and the internet among secondary school students who are not necessarily fluent in English--the primary medium of internet communication-- but are learning it as a second language. The project also aims to test whether computer and internet training can be a tool and provide impetus for English language teaching in rural schools.
English has traditionally been a barrier to economic mobility in Sri Lankan society and accentuated the urban-rural divide. The implementation of this project will enable the identification of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in such ventures and assist in developing a successful model for replicating in other Sri Lankan schools by donor agencies and the government.
English has traditionally been a barrier to economic mobility in Sri Lankan society and accentuated the urban-rural divide. The implementation of this project will enable the identification of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in such ventures and assist in developing a successful model for replicating in other Sri Lankan schools by donor agencies and the government.
The project will aim to:
Provision of computer and Internet facilities to a rural Maha Vidyala level school, where English is taught as a second language. LAcNet will utilize donated computers, build beneficial partnerships with relevant organizations, support the cost of an instructor, provide teaching and learning resources, maintain computers, and monitor and evaluate the project.
The proposed computer centre in the school will have five computers with Internet and CD-ROM access. It will be manned by a trainer/facilitator who will orientate students and coordinate the self-access instruction program. It is envisaged that LAcNet will initially fund and support this program with community participation. The aim is to make the program sustainable at the end of a two year period. Training will be provided to students and teachers to enable the school to generate sufficient funds for sustainability - possibly through linking as a node to the Kotmale Community Radio Internet project, as well as linking to a Sri Lankan Young Entrepreneur Program where students can provide Internet services for the community at weekends. Hoped for outcomes are that students will increase their computer literacy and English skills, acquire marketable skills such as web page making and develop self reliant learning habits that will stand them in good stead when they leave school.
The Project Coordinator is Chulie De Silva, a LAcNet director living in Sri Lanka, who took the lead in developing this project. She will be responsible for overseeing the project.
Five computers + 1 Printer to be provided for the school.
Three computers and a printer have been donated by the Public affairs Section (formerly United States Information Service -USIS), U.S. Embassy, Colombo. Two of these will be used in this project and the third computer donated by USIS needs extensive repairs and updating and at present we are looking to see how cost effective it will be to repair it. In addition to these three computers USIS has donated two UPS, instruction manuals and a USIA Information USA CD-ROM. The IBM World Trade Corporation, Sri Lanka, has donated two computers. LAcNet will purchase one new machine to act as the server.
The donated computers were checked, serviced and the network set by by one of LAcNet's directors - Dr. Gihan Dias. Dr. Dias is a senior lecturer at the computer and engineering department at Moratuwa University, and his assistance in this project is gratefully noted and very much appreciated.
After visiting several schools, the project coordinator has recommended that the pilot project should be located at Nivanthaka Chethiya Maha Vidyalaya (NC) in Anuradhapura . The school was established in 1934, became a MV in 1965, and has had a science stream from 1984.
NC is a well managed large school with the best "A: level results for NCP. It has a strong English as Second Language program and was a winner of the English Essay writing contest in 1998. It also has an active forward-looking Principal , a science graduate teacher and a enthusiastic team of English language teachers who are keen to see the project succeed.
The school has allocated a room we room 20'x25', for the computer centre. The room has been fitted with a secure door, new electrical wiring etc. by the local champion of the project Mr. Sena Gonapinuwela. (see below Section 4.4 under other stakeholders).
The LAcNet Project has been successful in incorporating the Nivanthaka Chethiya school to the I*EARN - the International Education Resource Network's pilot project along with Royal College and Isipathana College, Colombo. Radha H. Blackman, Program Administrator, I*EARN-US visited the Nivanthaka Chethiya school and was briefed on the project by the LAcNet Project Coordinator in November 1999. Quoted below is an extract from a " Report on I*EARN CIVICS and the state of computers and education in Sri Lanka " by Ms. Blackman for: I*EARN-US (International Education and Resource Network), Dated 12/20/1999.
I*EARN will also work with LAcNet to train teachers at the Nivanthaka Chethiya School to use their new computers for collaborative international projects. I*EARN will incorporate the Nivanthaka Chethiya School into the Community Voices Collaborative Solutions (CIVICS) project that I*EARN in the United States is piloting in collaboration with the United States Department of State/Bureau of Cultural and Educational Affairs (formerly USIA) and the American Centers in Egypt, India, Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. By creating a new on-line project I*EARN CIVICS, I*EARN seeks to leverage its global resources to provide on-line civic education and ESL/EFL teaching tools to educators from participating countries. I*EARN CIVICS will integrate educators in the Near East, North Africa and South Asia into I*EARN projects; generate effective and cost-effective EFL learning materials for educators; and create safe and nurturing environments for students and educators in Near East, North Africa and South Asia to address civic education and conflict resolution issues relevant to their communities.
Schools participating in I*EARN CIVICS will also be encouraged to participate in other relevant I*EARN projects such as The Laws of Life Essay Project, Faces of War, The Contemporary, Environmental Projects, Youth Volunteerism and Service, Democracy in Schools, etc... As in all I*EARN projects, the topics of discussion in I*EARN CIVICS will be determined by the students and teachers participating in the project. I*EARN anticipates that students will be particularly eager to discuss themes relevant to the conflicts in the region. I*EARN considers collaboration between students in the region to be a step in the direction of conflict resolution….".
LAcNet's vision of providing Internet access to rural Sri Lanka has captured the attention and support of a variety of stakeholders. Foremost was the support for the project through generous gifts of computers by the United States Information Service, currently the Public Affairs section of the U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka, and the IBM World Trade Corporation, in Sri Lanka.
Mr. B.A.C. Abeywardena, CEO Electroteks company has offered to bear the cost of the dial-up Internet connection. Mr Abeywardene plans to build a nationwide network for schools in Sri Lanka. Till such time this network becomes operative a dial-up connection was obtained through Sri Lanka Telecoms for the Internet access.. Obtaining the Internet connection to Anuradhapura has been the sticking point for this project. Electroteks will be a worthy partner for LAcNet in this project.
Additionally, the project has benefitted by drawing in to the project Mr. Sena Gonapinuwela, a businessman in Anuradhapura. Sena is a very enterprising man and is the local champion assisting, and trouble shooting in the project..
The Director British Council Ms. Susan Maingay has also offered assistance for improving the English competency by providing Internet website addresses (URLs ) of online English language teaching (ELT) resources. The project coordinator will also explore possibilities of working with the National Institute of Education's (NIE) Regional English support Centre (RESC) in Anuradhapura to upgrade English language learning and teaching skills of students and teachers through computer assisted language learning programs. The Library and Information Department of the Kelaniya University will also provide assistance to upgrade teachers' and students' skills in information retrieval and preparation of self-access learning materials.
The unique feature of this project is LAcNet's commitment to provide ongoing support for the project. through: