President Ranil Wickremasinghe applauded the innovative ICT solutions showcased by winning students  of YCS-2022 national competition  during the recently concluded Skill Expo 2023. In a remarkable display of commitment to education and technological advancement,  Federation of Information Technology Industry Sri Lanka (FITIS) recently brought its groundbreaking YCS-2023 program to a wider audience of school children. The program's success was showcased at the prestigious Skill Expo 2023 held at BMICH (Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall) in a grand event that left a lasting impact on attendees. Skill Council Expo 2023 is a prestigious event that gathers industry professionals, educators, and students under one roof to celebrate advancements in various fields. The event provides an ideal platform for organizations like FITIS to showcase their innovative programs and initiatives. With its innovative approach and focus on empowering the younger generation, FITIS once again proved its dedication to nurturing digital skills in Sri Lanka's youth.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe pledged to modernize the education sector to create a young generation equipped with knowledge and nourished with abilities within the next 10 years, whilst attending the opening ceremony of Sri Lanka’s first skills and job exhibition “Skills Expo 2023”, under the theme “An ability for Life – A job for Ability”, at the BMICH, Colombo on 12 the May 2023.  He further enunciated that a cabinet committee has already been appointed for the modernization of education; the President also stated that he will work on immediate reforms. Also pointed out that if the money spent on corporations during the past 10 years was invested on education, Sri Lanka would have the best education in Asia.

FITIS, the Federation of Information Technology Industry Sri Lanka, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and the University of Colombo School of Computing (UCSC), has been running the Young Computer Scientist (YCS) competition annually and would commemorate its 22^nd Anniversary this year. This prestigious competition is designed to encourage school children to develop their skills in the field of ICT, preparing them for a career in the industry.

The YCS competition has been gaining in popularity over the years, with more and more students eager to participate and showcase their skills. The competition is open to all school children in Sri Lanka from Grade 6 onwards.

The competition includes a variety of challenges, including programming challenges, mobile app development challenges, and web development challenges. Participants are judged on their ability to design and implement innovative solutions to real-world problems using ICT.

The winners of the YCS competition are given the opportunity to participate in the APICTA (Asia Pacific ICT Alliance) regional competition, which brings together the best ICT innovators from across the Asia-Pacific region. This is a unique opportunity for young Sri Lankan innovators to showcase their skills on the regional stage and to learn from their peers from other countries.

In addition to this, the winners of the YCS competition are given the opportunity to pitch their solutions to industry giants, opening up potential career opportunities in the ICT industry.The YCS competition is an excellent initiative that is helping to prepare the next generation of Sri Lankan ICT professionals. The competition is helping to foster innovation and creativity among school children, providing them with the skills and confidence they need to succeed in this rapidly evolving industry.

FITIS, the Ministry of Education (MOE), and UCSC should be commended for their efforts in promoting ICT among school children and for creating this fantastic opportunity for young Sri Lankan innovators.

“The YCS competition is a shining example of what can be achieved when industry, government, and academia all come together towards the achievement of a common national goal. This would funnel up towards the nurturing and development of the Digital Economic pillars of Capacity and Entrepreneurship and thus have a significant impact on our National Digital Economy in time to come” reiterated the Chairman of FITIS Indika De Zoysa.

“FITIS's endeavor to bring the YCS-2023 program to a wider audience at the Skill Council Exhibition 2023 demonstrates its unwavering commitment to transforming Sri Lanka's youth into digitally skilled individuals. By empowering school children with essential technological skills, FITIS is laying a strong foundation for their future success”enunciated Sanjaya Dayananda, the President of the FITIS Software Chapter.

The positive impact of the program will undoubtedly shape the trajectory of Sri Lanka's digital landscape, fostering innovation and technological advancement for years to come.

Applications are called from students across the island and the selection process will be based on an initial assessment from a panel of judges, followed by a presentation/demonstration by the students and a final judgment by the same panel selected amongst industry and academia. Apart from some exciting prizes to be won, the overall winners will also be nominated for the Asia Pacific ICT Alliance (APICTA) awards to be held overseas based on the organizers scheduling, which is indeed a lifetime opportunity to the young ones to gain overseas exposure and more over networking opportunities amongst students and even investors spanning several nations.

In addition to the President Ranil Wickremasinghe, FITIS and the YCS students had the esteemed honor of having Mr. Anura Dissanayake Secretary to the Prime Minister and Dr Ajantha Atukorale Director UCSC and the President of the Computer Society of Sri Lanka visit the FITIS stall, inspect the student projects and motivate them on.

FITIS is also in the process of planning many regional programs to take this competition to a wider segment across our Nation spanning every nook and corner thus ensuring an equitable opportunity for all to engage.