Don Bosco Institute expanding to meet needs of students

(MissionNewswire) Salesian missionaries launched the High Tech IT Lab at Don Bosco Institute of Higher Vocational Education, located in Narammala, Sri Lanka. Salesians are focused on ensuring that youth have the technical and computer skills needed for the current workforce.

A Salesian noted, “As the world is running fast and improving in advanced technology, we have to make sure that our students are keeping up. Otherwise, they will not prepared for employment in the current job market. This new lab will ensure our students have access to technology and learn how to use it.”

The Don Bosco Institute is constantly growing and expanding to meet the needs of its students. Last year, it inaugurated a new college complex that included 11 lecture halls, three offices, a girls’ dormitory that included resident rooms, a television room and bathroom facilities. Since the addition, there is space for more than 400 students in the lecture halls and for the 70 students living in the dorms.

The institute offers scholarships of up to 100% of course fees for students who come from families living in poverty. There are also dormitories on the campus for students who are orphans or those who are dealing with addiction issues and need a safe place to live while going to school. For many, the institute is a second chance at an education. In addition to coursework, students can engage in extracurricular activities such as public speaking, singing, dancing, drama, theater, games and music.

Sri Lanka has suffered a long civil war that ended in 2009, two tsunamis in the past 13 years, and a deadly dengue crisis. Nine out of 10 poor people in Sri Lanka live in rural areas, according to the World Bank. More than 40% of the country’s rural poor are small-scale farmers. Farm production is often hampered by neglect and low investment levels resulting from poor financial services and limited technology.

Sri Lankans are affected by a significant lack of infrastructure including roads, electricity, irrigation systems and communication channels. In several areas of the country, seven out of 10 people have no access to electricity and almost half of the population does not have access to safe drinking water. Malnutrition among children is also common.

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Sources:

ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)

ANS – Sri Lanka – Inauguration of High Tech IT Lab

Salesian Missions – Sri Lanka

World Bank – Sri Lanka