National e-Literacy Initiative - e-Citizen

This initiative is an attempt to provide opportunities to all citizens for basic ICT skills training. It consists of 2 courses: an International Computer Driving License (ICDL), which includes 76 hours of training, and e-Citizen, which is a 30-hour-long course. In order to create awareness about the project and to motivate all citizens to participate, ICTA launched an island-wide ICT literacy drive. As part of this campaign, ICTA is promoting quality certifications of international standards, making the 2 courses available for citizens at heavily discounted prices, and - as an added incentive, refunding the cost of the examination fee(s) for each course to all participants who passing the final examination(s).

One key strategy for facilitating ICT training - and awareness about and interest in it - involves bringing a variety of training institutions on board. ICTA began by shortlisting as many training providers as possible who meet the specified qualifying standards, and then awarding multiple contracts for training to be conducted simultaneously in all parts of the country. ICTA is providing specific incentives for private training institutions to rapidly expand their networks and aggressively promote these courses to all parts of the country. The project is also seeking to promote smaller training institutions and not just dominant players in the market by structuring both the contracting method and the incentive scheme with this objective in mind. In addition to utilising the network of existing training institutions, ICTA is drawing on its own growing network of (over 250) Nenasalas (rural knowledge centres which offer computer and internet services), encouraging them to promote and offer ICT courses to rural communities. ICTA's e-Learning Network is also being engaged in the effort; through this separate but related project, e-learning is taking place initially at 5 distance learning centres, with later expansion to cover the entire country.

Technology Literacy, Economic Development.

ICTA explains that "Computer usage is widely considered to be an important source of economic and educational opportunities as well as a means of communication and connection with the global community. Unfortunately in Sri Lanka, most of the population remains cut off from this important resource. According to a survey by the Department of Census and Statistics in 2004, ICT literacy is as low as 10%. This figure is shocking considering that Sri Lanka tops other South Asian countries with its high rates of overall literacy."

ICTA claims that participants find that the course helps them with improving their employment situation as well as being educational. Dr. S. Sivasumithran, who took the course, commented that "The e-Citizen programme benefits me in many ways such as teaching medicine through presentations and updating my knowledge via the internet." According to ICTA, many participants find access to additional professional opportunities to be a major benefit of the course.