The Government of Sri Lanka has declared next year as the Year of ICT and English. Gateway, that has made a substantial contribution in the field of ICT and English training over the years with many innovative programmes of study, wishes to broad base their services to reach as many Sri Lankans as possible to benefit from their services. Gateway Kids School of Computing, Gateway Centre for Information Technology and the Gateway Language Centre currently have their presence in all provinces. The organisation intends to make their training affordable to provide services to a larger number of students.
Excellent results
Gateway's kids programme that enables Sri Lankan children to become confident IT users from an early age is now offered in several countries. Gateway in partnership with NCC Education, has introduced the programme in China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Dubai, Pakistan, Nigeria and Bangladesh. Students are eventually prepared for Edexcel or Cambridge OL/IGCSE examinations at the age of 16. At London OL, IGCSE and GCSE examinations during the last 4 years, Gateway students have recorded a pass rate of 99% to 100%. Among them over 90% passed with a minimum grade of a Credit while over 50% received A* or A grades.
Farah Samantha Wijayakumara and Muhammad Aadhil Niyas, who followed the programme of study offered by the Gateway Kids School of Computing won Gold Medals at the last Edexcel UK awards ceremony, for receiving the highest marks for Computing at London OL and ICT in the London IGCSE examinations.
While Farah received the highest mark in the world for OL Computing, Aadhil received the second highest in the world for IGCSE ICT. Through these achievements, Gateway has demonstrated the advantage of taking a structured ICT training programme from a young age in order to produce good grades at international examinations.
The organisation has also recorded yet another important achievement last year with all its students studying in branches countrywide, having recorded a 100% pass rate with none receiving a result below credit level at the first ever Sri Lanka OL ICT examination. Gateway's results of 82% A grades, 14% B grades and 4% C grades should be considered outstanding in comparison to the country averages of 22.7% A grades, 16.9% B grades, 26.9% C grades, 22% S grades and 11.5% of failures.
At the recently concluded National Schools Software competition, 2008, Gateway College, was placed the Runner-up. Navin Sharmendra Gunatillaka and Ramitha Indula Soysa were selected to the national pool to represent Sri Lanka. In the Young Computer Scientist Competition organized by the Sri Lanka Association for the Software Industry (SLASI), 13 year old Chanuka Yasawardene won the Gold Award.
Curriculum
The curriculum followed at Gateway is the British National Curriculum, which is followed by all schools in Britain. This is a well researched, age appropriate curriculum which incorporates the widest possible ICT skills needed for children of 4 to 16 years of age. The curriculum is regularly reviewed and updated in order to accommodate all advances in the field of ICT.
The courses are divided equally between workbook-based learning and practical activities. The use of interactive educational software for the younger ages exposes them to a range of subjects, whilst the older children focus more on standard computer application packages and languages. The programme includes the use of special teaching equipment such as computer control units, data loggers, floor robots etc.. The systematic development of programming skills through -out the course makes the programme complete and comprehensive.
Qualifications
Gateway offers more qualifications than any other children's ICT programme available in the world.
Students will receive certificates, validated by NCC, UK on successful completion of every level. Students also have a choice of receiving certification from the International Curriculum and Assessment Agency (ICAA) [endorsed by University of Southampton] or the Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) or both at the successful completion of Key Stages 1 to 3.
Students who achieve Tiers 8 and 9 have the knowledge and skills to achieve the International Computer Driving Licence (ICDL) qualification awarded by the ECDL Foundation.
Key Stage 4 coaches students for public examinations such as Edexcel OL/IGCSE Computing, Cambridge OL/IGCSE Computer Studies and Edexcel GCSE ICT. Students can go on to sit the above examinations to achieve the relevant qualifications.
Computerised English
Gateway has also launched a unique computerised English Language learning programme for children of 7 to 14 years. The programme named 24/7 English includes Reading texts, Audio files for listening comprehension, Animations, Video, Speaking and Grammar Help. Types of activities are Lesson Report, Gap-fill, Multiple choice, Drop down menus, Timed activity, Marking, Chart filling, Connection, Identification, Grouping and Voice recording. Courses delivered in modern well equipped IT labs with multimedia facilities. The teachers will function as mere facilitators. In the first phase, Gateway expects to offer the programme in Colombo and thereafter expand islandwide through its network of training centres.
|
E-mail