Dhammika Perera launches DP Kids free online learning platform
To support education excellence among children, Hayleys Group co-chairman and philanthropist Dhammika Perera and his wife Priscilla Perera have launched another initiative.
The platform, DP Kids, aims to provide free access to pre-school education to a minimum of 264,000 children between the ages of 2 and 7 years old, which amounts to 20 per cent of the 1.32 million children in Sri Lanka.
The launch of DP Kids represents the latest in a series of initiatives as part of its groundbreaking efforts to leverage platforms like DP Education and DP Digital University to deliver free education and empower a new generation of Sri Lankan school and university students, DP Kids said in a media release.
“A child’s early years are the foundation for his or her future development, providing a strong foundation for lifelong education and learning abilities, including cognitive and social development. Well-established research continues to emphasise the importance of early childhood education as an essential building block of a child’s future success. With this thought we hope that children from different backgrounds in Sri Lanka will be able to access world class resources in a safe and secure online educational environment cost-free,” a spokesperson for the Dhammika and Priscilla Perera Foundation said.
Developed in collaboration with leading education technology innovator Age of Learning, Inc, USA – creator of award winning platforms like ABCmouse. com – DP Kids is built to an international standard and features a curriculum and presentation that is designed by early childhood education experts and professionals who have studied and analysed child psychology and behaviour to craft content that will be especially engaging for kids.
DP Kids has also collaborated with USP Studios, home to over 50 animated characters designed for making learning a fun activity. USP Studios is one of the top three ‘kids video content’ producers worldwide.
Notably, DP Kids has also made a concerted effort to localise its content, utilizing the unique skills of famous and acclaimed Sri Lankan singers, writers, illustrators and animators in order to ensure that lessons are relatable and aligned to Sri Lankan tradition, culture and values.