Driven by its overarching goal of enhancing Sri Lanka’s potential in terms of ICT talent, SLASSCOM recently launched a comprehensive training programme for ICT instructors in collaboration with Vocational Training Authority (VTA) and YouLead.
With the objective of improving teaching standards and skills in order to deliver superior learning experiences to existing and prospective students, this Transformative Teacher Training programme initiated by the SLASSCOM Capacity Forum is an extension of the multitude of projects conducted by the forum targeting the local teaching domain in the past few years.
The two-day programme is conducted as a residential experiential learning exercise every Thursday and Friday for seven consecutive weeks. Aiming to train approximately 250 ICT instructors, the programme encompasses several areas such as teaching techniques, use of digital teaching tools, novel assessment criteria and student centric learning experiences to name a few.
“The Transformative Teacher Training programme is a landmark initiative for VTA and a move in the right direction to pave the way for ICT graduates to receive best in class training in order to hone their talents for tomorrow’s global arena,” Damitha Wickramasinghe, Chairman of Vocational Training Authority of Sri Lanka added. He also mentioned that “VTA has trained over 5,000 graduates in the recent past and is looking at doubling this amount through partnerships such as that with SLASSCOM, which is a major stepping stone in our undertaking of uplifting local talent,”.
Chairman of SLASSCOM Channa Manoharan avers that this partnership is a proud moment for SLASSCOM given that it is a humbling opportunity to contribute to national talent development. He notes: “SLASSCOM is proud and excited to be a part of this endeavour which will help transform the ICT landscape in Sri Lanka. By harnessing a well-trained talent pool of educators, we are paving the way to produce work-ready ICT graduates, trained to international standards, who would soon be the innovators and tech leaders shaping the future.”
Charles Conconi – Project Director at YouLead explained that the Transformative Teacher Training programme is an excellent initiative that addresses one of the most pressing issues of the day. “We position ourselves as a collaborative and youth-driven movement that strives to empower young people to build pathways to success in their careers and gain the skills that are relevant to drive future businesses, and this programme directly aligns with our mission,” he said, adding that, partnerships of this nature are the way forward for Sri Lanka.
Echoing its Vision 2025 of achieving US$ 5 billion in revenue, 200,000 jobs and 1,000 start-ups, SLASSCOM considers skill development as a major strategic pillar in its mission of upskilling Sri Lanka. The Transformative Teacher Training programme hence has both the potential and the capacity to be a gamechanger in the local education sphere and is an inspiration for teachers and students alike.