ESOFT Computer Studies (Pvt) Ltd., the Leader in Professional ICT Education in Sri Lanka, has launched a new project for the welfare of schoolchildren, as part of the company's expansive Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative.

Under this new CSR project, ESOFT will provide the basic knowledge on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and conduct a one-day practical training session to students of poor, backward schools which have minimum ICT facilities.

ESOFT Computer Studies will use its mobile bus, which has been specially designed and fully equipped with all ICT-related facilities, to implement this project in schools earmarked under this initiative. This ESOFT IT mobile platform is on par with any modern IT laboratory of an ICT training institute.

"In today's world, Information Technology is a key factor which is closely intertwined with the personal as well as professional lives of the people", said Dr. Dayan Rajapaksa, Managing Director of ESOFT Computer Studies(Pvt) Ltd. In the future world, nobody will be able to successfully steer their personal or professional lives without depending on ICT. It is such a critically important component. Therefore, it is a national duty to impart knowledge and training on ICT to the younger generation who will take over as the country's future leaders, he stressed.

The government has already introduced Information and Communications Technology into the curriculum of G. C. E. (Ordinary Level) and G. C. E. (Advance Level) in schools. A large percentage of students in schools with the required facilities now follow ICT as a subject. But, students in poor, backward schools which lack the basic ICT facilities remain marginalized as they have no opportunity of following this important subject, Dr. Rajapaksa said.

It is bad enough that these students have no access to ICT due to a dearth of facilities, but it is still worse that they have no proper understanding of how important it is to be computer literate for their future prospects and well-being. There must be students among them who have the aptitude for ICT excellence. The objective of the ESOFT CSR project is to impart basic ICT knowledge and training and make these students understand the importance of academically arming themselves to excel in this important sphere. This will also open the door to better career prospects in a diverse field, the Managing Director said.

The air-conditioned ESOFT mobile IT bus is equipped with a network of modern computer systems with internet access and all other modern facilities available on an ICT platform. As this mobile bus is on par with a state-of-the-art IT facility, students can use it in the same way as there is no difference whatsoever between the two platforms.

Schools which are keen to make use of the services of the ESOFT IT mobile bus need not necessarily have electricity and telephone facilities. This is because the IT mobile bus has internet services and a powerful generator. ESOFT Computer Studies utilize this mobile bus to give students a complete one-day basic training session on IT including internet and email usage.

A team of highly experienced IT lecturers who accompany the ESOFT mobile bus conduct these training sessions. Students can also seek guidance on ICT higher education opportunities and job prospects for those who had completed their IT studies. ESOFT imparts basic IT knowledge and conducts training sessions using its mobile IT bus absolutely free of charge. Principals who want to make use of these services for their schools can do so by making written representations to the ESOFT head office in Colombo or to any of its 27 branches island-wide.

ESOFT is the Leader in Professional ICT Education in Sri Lanka with the largest number of branches across the country. Its study programmes are reasonably priced to make them accessible to people of all walks of life. The head office of ESOFT is situated at No. 235, Galle Road, Colombo 4. More information can also be obtained by accessing its website: www.esoft.lk