The SWASTYAYAN… a commitment programme of the Assam Don Bosco University ventured yet again into another task of offering a short-term “Computer Education Programme” for the Class X students of the community schools of the Azara locality since the 21st of April 2014. This five-week programme was initiated to enhance the youths’ capability in basic computing skills using computer programmes like word processing, spreadsheet calculation and tabulation, presentation, and internet browsing. Besides this elementary knowledge, the students were given hands-on training for developing their basic communication skills using computers.
This programme is part of the larger free and voluntary community engagement and service of Assam Don Bosco University, which has been started in order to address the need felt by students and faculty of the University to reach out to the community children around the University.
The project presently focuses on conducting tutorial classes for the children on the basis of their scholastic needs. In these classes, different subjects, such as, Mathematics, General Sciences, Social Sciences and English are taught, besides providing inputs on soft skills, career guidance, personality development etc. The Computer Education Programme is a recent activity which was necessitated due to the felt need and requests coming from the neighborhood children themselves.
A total of 15 students from Chandra Prava Bora Girls’ High School, Azara, Shyambhumi High School, Kahikuchi, Rajdhar Bora Higher Secondary School, Azara, and Kamrup Jatiya Vidyalaya, Mirza participated in the training programme.
Thirteen volunteers comprising of faculty and students of the Assam Don Bosco University participated as trainers and made the students’ experience, a meaningful one. The personalized training sessions have significantly boosted the morale and confidence of the participants as they prepare themselves to face larger challenges that await them in their college life.
The programme has also been much appreciated by the participants and the community people as it served the needs of children coming from the most vulnerable and underprivileged families in the locality who could not afford to join the expensive courses offered elsewhere.
It is hoped that through programmes, such as these, the Assam Don Bosco University will play a positive role in building strong and resilient communities in its vicinity and beyond; and that it will become a true resource-center for the most underprivileged in the neighborhood.
A certificate distribution ceremony was held on the 27th of May, 2014, in the Don Bosco University Global Computer Lab. The occasion was graced by Fr. (Dr.) Stephen Mavely, Vice Chancellor, , Fr. Joseph Nellanatt, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Dr. Riju Sharma, Director, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, faculty, student volunteers and the participants of the programme.