ICT at AL exams from 2009
June 18th, 2007 - Posted By
Information Communication Technology (ICT) will be included as a
subject in the Advanced Level examination curriculum from 2009, said
Secretary to the Ministry of Education Ariyarathne Hewage.
He said approval for the ICT policy for education will be obtained
soon and it will help develop capacity, train teachers, set up ICT
centres and build private public partnerships.
Ariyarathne was addressing the academia career guidance pre meet
organised by the Information Communication Technology Agency (ICTA)
which will host the National ICT Capacity Summit and National ICT
Career Fair (NICS 2007) from September 1-2 in Colombo.
Ariyarathne said information technology and computer science has
grown at a phenomenal rate to a US$ 1 trillion industry but the
country has not been able to keep pace with developments due to the
lack of skilled IT personnel. The challenge today is to get IT
professionals for the market. The IT workforce grew by 10,000 during
2004-2006.
Over 14,000 IT workers are required to meet the industry needs in
the next two years. This year 5,755 graduates are needed for the
industry, he said.
The attrition rate for the IT workforce in the country has doubled
from 6.6 percent in 2004 to 13 percent in 2006. Fixation is an
obstacle to the growth of the IT industry.
Parents and teachers want their students to become doctors and
engineers and not IT professionals. Students are directed to sit for
examinations to enter universities without providing them career
guidance.
Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates has volunteered to support Sri Lanka
to develop capacity building in Information Communication Technology
(ICT) by setting up a microsoft centre for excellence in the
country.
The Ministry of Education has introduced several programs to develop
IT in the country and the e-village concept is one such program to
bridge the digital divide.
The village program was launched in Mahawilachchiya, Nihiluwa,
Mahalakotuwa, Pitakumbura, Nikawewa and Dhamana.
General Manager Virtusa, Madu Ratnayake said with the shift from an
industry based economy to a knowledge based economy world dependence
on IT has grown tremendously.
The BPO industry in Asia is growing at a rapid pace. According to a
survey by AT Kearney Global Service Ltd. Sri Lanka is ranked 29
among the top 50 countries in outsourcing. India which is ranked
first has a vibrant IT industry which contributes 5-6 percent of the
GDP.
ICT will be the next growth wave for jobs and wealth creation in the
country, he said.
source: http://www.sundayob server.lk/ 2007/06/17/ fin03.asp generic serevent
Genny
June 18th, 2007 at 10:17 pm
Does anyone know what happened to the GIT (General Information Technology) Exam launched in 2005 ?. The exams was held, and it is NEARLY two years – But as far as I know the authorities concerned have not yet released the results. Although the exams were launched with TV programmes, Educational Supplements on the Daily News etc in 2005….since then the exams have been held on a low key.
Re-launching it as a Subject will not be that beneficial, unless they can learn from the mistakes of the past, and for that the results shouls be released.
Genny
June 18th, 2007 at 10:36 pm
Just to add to my Previous Comment – for those who don’t know about GIT – It is a Exam aimed at AL Students, held in Year 12 – compulsory for all students. GIT 2005…GIT 2006….and we are almost at GIT 2007 (Exams held in August), but not results from even 2005!
Laksiri Jayanthe
June 20th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
Although it is true that the necessary emphasis was not so far given to ICT education in Sri Lanka, I believe that it is a high time that ICT as a subject for A/L to be introduced. GIT results for year 2005 have been released. Out of 92 from Bandarawela Kuda Kusum Balika Vidyalaya, 19 students got through the exam. I taught GIT for that initial batch only for 2 months before the exam. We produced 5 “A” passes, 9 “B” passes and 3 “C” passes and two simple passes in 2005 ( at the exam more than 75 students left the exam hall before the exam was finished just because they were taught only 20% of the syllabus. The other problem was the medium of Instruction for GIT i.e. ENGLISH. Don’t you think English is a MUST for ICT Education?
Laksiri Jayanthe
June 20th, 2007 at 1:45 pm
ICT has to be introduced to Advanced Level. But a good set of teachers (at least graduates or International Diploma holders who are currently in teaching have to be selected and must be given a proper training.
Genny
June 20th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
My Apologies..Laksiri…The “results” never got the same publicity as the exam did, probably as you have indicated, the results were not as expected. However…as you have correctly pointed out – English was probably the barrier most students had, apart from the syllabus itself. Expecting students to write descriptive answers and do well was a bit too much – I don’t think we can expect that unless they have already sat for similar tests. One major problem was that the model paper didn’t have a model answer in the case of GIT (AL).
However I think a separate programme is currently underway for OLs. Maybe that had better results – which has prompted this change/improvement. I think the first step should be to ensure that the teachers are properly trained as you said – and evaluated. The ICDL exams are a quite good to start with. I think the MoE has some programme running already on this.
Guest
August 10th, 2007 at 2:47 am
visit http://www.gihanbookshop.com for a model paper booklet for GIT Exam.
sasini
September 23rd, 2007 at 3:24 pm
2007ALs
bhagya
September 23rd, 2007 at 7:08 pm
good
bhagya
September 23rd, 2007 at 7:08 pm
good goodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgood
bhagya
September 23rd, 2007 at 7:09 pm
Although it is true that the necessary emphasis was not so far given to ICT education in Sri Lanka, I believe that it is a high time that ICT as a subject for A/L to be introduced. GIT results for year 2005 have been released. Out of 92 from Bandarawela Kuda Kusum Balika Vidyalaya, 19 students got through the exam. I taught GIT for that initial batch only for 2 months before the exam. We produced 5 “A” passes, 9 “B” passes and 3 “C” passes and two simple passes in 2005 ( at the exam more than 75 students left the exam hall before the exam was finished just because they were taught only 20% of the syllabus. The other problem was the medium of Instruction for GIT i.e. ENGLISH. Don’t you think English is a MUST for ICT Education?
Sujata
September 24th, 2007 at 7:30 am
Do written tests for IT serve any purpose for those who are not planning to follow IT as a vocation? Specially when the subject is taught by teachers who are teaching from notes (I know one such teacher who is teaching at a leading school in Colombo).
For the majority is it not better to do the computer driving icense?
Thilina
September 24th, 2007 at 8:49 am
Bhagya asks: Don’t you think English is a MUST for ICT Education?
The answer is Yes and No. Everything depends on what you call as ICT education.
If what you mean is an education lead to a career path in software development, IT consultancy, networking etc at a top level (say entry level salaries above Rs. 25,000) yes, a quality English education is a must. There are no local language books for most of the subjects (Say Java or AJAX) and you obviously have to speak to clients/partners who do not know any local language.
But if you mean an education that will finally lead to a IT related position in a cyber cafe, or a non-executive post in a local company (IT Assistant or Accounts Assistant or Graphics Artists or even a Web Developer) only the very basic English knowledge will do. These jobs might not pay as high as the one in the category above, but they too are not bad. I know some IT guys without good English knowledge earning salaries like Rs. 20,000 – 40,000 per month.
Pavithra Dharshani tiyagarajah
January 6th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
plz e_mail me the result of this index number 2005 A/L 7007450
kishan
February 23rd, 2009 at 11:22 pm
please say when ICT 2009 exam
Kasuni Vathsala Liyanage
May 9th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
I am just after my O/L exam(2008 O/L exam).I got 8-A passes & 1-B.I did ICT as a O/L subject and I got ‘A’ for it.I want to do ICT as a A/L subject( I mean not GIT paper)I apply some school like Vishaka,Devi B.V.,Sirimavo & Anula V.Nugegoda.But those schools are not ready to start this subject eg: Devi & Sirimavo.I hope to go to school where ICT start as a A/L subject.But there are no any good news I heard yet about this.Please help to find me a school that I can learn ICT as A/L subject.I like ICT very much…!!