KOICA ICT Laboratory for students from vulnerable community in Matara Technical College area

The Republic of Korea through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), has initiated a small scale project to establish an ICT Laboratory at Matara for students in the vulnerable community of that area, to ensure affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education along with increasing the number of youth who have necessary ICT skills for employment and entrepreneurship, KOICA said in a media release.

It said: The ceremony was held with the participation of Country Director of the KOICA Sri Lanka office Mrs. KIM MYUNGJIN, Principal of the Matara Technical College S.J. Basnayake, KOICA Volunteer for Korean Language Kang Jung Hoon, Co-worker for KOICA Volunteer Program at Technical College Matara Ruwanmalee Jayaweera, along with beneficiaries, instructors and academic staff on 10th November 2023 at Matara.

The targeted beneficiaries of this project were students within the ICT stream at the Technical College and prospective students unable to participate in education due to a lack of educational equipment. In addition to this, the project is conducting special courses to enhance the digital literacy for people with disabilities and the elderly in Matara. In consideration of the common mandates on and interests in the Sustainable Development, Goal No. 4. Ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for both quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities.

The Principal of the Matara Technical College stated that “KOICA Sri Lanka and Technical College Matara have a fruitful relationship and projects of this scope are necessary for the upliftment of quality education and development. There are many students who do not have access to ICT equipment and KOICA’s assistance towards access to quality education is invaluable and greatly appreciated”. Korea’s various development assistance programs helped in many ways to develop the living condition of the citizens of Matara area and expressed his gratitude to KOICA and the people of the Republic of Korea.”

The Country Director of KOICA Sri Lanka office KIM MYUNGJIN expressed her best wishes to the beneficiary citizens of the Matara Technical College area and stated that Korea will continue its ODA programs towards Sri Lanka; which will further strengthen the relationship between the two countries.”

The KOICA, the grant aid division of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea is the Korean government agency for grant aids under the mission of “mutual development cooperation leaving no one behind.”

KOICA Sri Lanka Office has been implementing a variety of development projects and fellowship programmes since 1991 and currently supporting various grant projects including COVID-19 response projects to fight against COVID-19 in Sri Lanka in conjunction with the Sri Lankan Government, Korean NGOs, and International Organisations.