15% increase in students from 2012 -2016 for Science & Technology

The Ministry of Education ( MoE) Annual Report 2016 states the number of students taking the Science & Technology stream increased from 21% in 2012 to 36%, an increase of 15%, in the last 4 years, due to steps taken by the MoE to encourage students into the field. In the same period, there has been a 13% drop in the number of students taking up the Arts stream.

To motivate students into the ICT discipline, the MoE has provided resources including construction of computer resource centres and laboratories for national schools, provision of computers, along with capacity development that would enable students maximum opportunity to excel in that subject stream.

Computers provided also include those donated by the Republic of Korea, which were presented to St. Anthony’s College, Katugastota, Niwanthaka Chetiya Maha Vidyalaya, Anuradhapura and Kuliyapitiya Central College, who received 50 computers each. Additionally, 600 computer accessories in several schools were fully repaired.

In another attempt, students were encouraged to participate in ICT competitions at national and international levels.

Last year, students who excelled in the ‘Young Computer Scientist - Yes’, sponsored by the Federation of Information Technology Sri Lanka, qualified to participate at the Asia Pacific ICT Awards 2016 in Taipei, where St. Anthony’s College, Katugastota, won Gold at the APICTA 2016.