The Department of Computer Science and the Computer Unit at University of Ruhuna has been conducting undergraduate and other courses in Information and Communication Technology for university students and the community out side the university since 1997 improving the services provided by the Computer Unit since 1983. Apart from the academic activities the department and the unit have been involving in many community services. School teachers, accountants of the southern region, school students, employees of the public and private sector and school leavers has been given the opportunity to obtained the trainings in the field of ICT during the past years in order to fulfill the demand of the community in the southern region.

During the past tsunami period the department involved in creating a database of tsunami victims of Matara district, collected information of children under 18 years of age and who are affected by tsunami and living without one of their parents or both for helping National Child Protection Authority to create a database by using available human and other resources. After the Tsunami disaster in December 2004, schools, government bodies and other private organizations are receiving computers and related equipments as donations. At the moment we have identified that there is a shortage of persons with proper computer skills in rural areas even in schools. They are in the need of acquiring ICT knowledge.

The aim of introducing these courses is to provide opportunities for school children and teachers to learn about and use information technology. We decided to respond to the concern about shortages of persons with proper computer skills in rural areas as well as in Tsunami affected areas. This course provides opportunities for both school children and teachers in Tsunami affected areas and rural areas in southern region to build skills needed to advance their knowledge on information technology issues