Alaina B. Teplitz, the United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka, inaugurated a USAID-funded online education platform to connect students and teachers from different regions to address the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The smart classrooms through the platform will connect Sinhala and Tamil speakers and bring educational access to remote schools through teachers trained in science and technology.

“This Smart Classroom directly supports children’s access to a quality education using new technology,” US Envoy Alaina Teplitz, was quoted as saying by Colombopage. “This opens a new world for them and also improves the connection between Sinhala and Tamil students, building stronger links with each other and their communities” she added. 

“These state-of-the-art classrooms include digital displays, audio equipment, desks, and chairs provided by the American people through USAID.” reads a statement on the USAID website. This $20,000 pilot program helps less advantaged schools deal with the challenges of meeting educational goals during a pandemic, it added.