National ICT solutions provider Sri Lanka Telecom PLC successfully inaugurated the “CoderDojo @ SLT”-Coding and Digital making clubs at a special ceremony held at SLT training center, Welisara, recently. The programme is scheduled to be initiated based on the Welisara SLT Training Center and then expand to all SLT training centers and SLT Regional Offices. SLT is conducting this programme to cultivate innovative educational culture and it’s absolutely free. The overall objective of this programme is to contribute towards a more advanced national economy driven by technological innovations by expanding ICT learning opportunities across the country. The programme was inaugurated with the participation of a considerable gathering including school children from age 10 to 17 featuring practical sessions and all of the students were provided with certificates for participation. The programme is scheduled to be continued for 10 more programmes at Welisara and all the relevant information including the dates will be announced on the social media channels of both SLT and CoderDojo Sri Lanka. As the second step, this programme will be conducted at the SLT Regional Office in Peradeniya on 20^th July 2019.

SLT has built a collaboration with STEMUP Educational Foundation in Sri Lanka, which is a non-profit volunteer based organization with a sound base of young professionals, to conduct CoderDojo skill development programmes with SLT.

The “CoderDojo@SLT” Coding and Digital making clubs are based on the '4Cs concept' which is essential for STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) emphasizing critical thinking capabilities; creativity; collaboration and communication. Students under these skill development programmes will be encouraged to pursue their own research problems and solutions from different perspectives.

Numerous programmes were initiated by the SLT Group in the recent past with ambitious goals of uplifting the ICT landscape of Sri Lanka not only by expanding its services but also by raising public awareness to drive the national economy based on a sustainable and long-term agenda. The “CoderDojo @ SLT” Coding and Digital making clubs deserves special public attention among many of such initiatives given the strong focus weighted on the importance of advancing an ICT knowledge-driven society which is primarily led by the youth generation. This will necessarily fill the gap between skills and ICT demands of the nation which is an unavoidable challenged to be overcome to transform the country to a SMART Sri Lanka.