USAID funded ‘Smart Classrooms’ open in East

US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Alaina B. Teplitz launched a US -funded online education platform on Tuesday (23), that connects students and teachers from different regions and responds to education challenges posed by COVID-19 restrictions.

The ‘smart classrooms’ connects Sinhala and Tamil speakers and provide remote schools with access to teachers trained in science and technology.   

“This smart classroom directly supports children’s access to a quality education using new technology,” said Teplitz. “This opens a new world for them and also improves the connection between Sinhala and Tamil students, building stronger links with each other and their communities.” 

The US Government’s Agency for International Development (USAID) supported an initiative that worked closely with Provincial and District authorities to identify a school in Vavuniya and Trincomalee to pilot the Smart Classroom program. These state-of-the-art classrooms include digital displays, audio equipment, desks, and chairs provided from the American people through USAID. This USD 20,000 pilot programme helps less advantaged schools deal with the challenges of meeting educational goals during the pandemic. It also connects students and teachers from different regions so they can support lasting peace in their communities.  

The smart classroom activity is one component of the long-standing partnership between the American and Sri Lankan people to support self-reliance, strengthen stability, and promote economic growth. USAID’s program in Sri Lanka, totalling more than Rs 350 billion since 1956, promotes a healthy, educated, and employed population. 

(SRM)