ComBank partners with National Science Foundation to enhance STEM education

Commercial Bank Chief Financial Officer Nandika Buddhipala and National Science Foundation Director General Dr. Sepalika Sudasinghe exchange agreement in the presence of (from right) National Science Foundation Chairman Prof. Ranjith Senaratne, Commercial Bank Senior Manager Sustainability, Women Banking and CSR Kamalini Ellawala and the two organisations’ representatives

Commercial Bank of Ceylon has announced a partnership with the National Science Foundation (NSF) to further enhance the bank’s science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education projects and the delivery of STEM education to selected under performing schools in 
Sri Lanka. 
This initiative in collaboration with the Education Ministry comes a year after the bank supported the establishment of 100 STEM smart classrooms island wide to deliver digitised educational content. Under the MoU signed with the NSF, the bank’s CSR Trust will provide a list of schools to implement STEM projects and deliver logistical support to launch the STEM programme and carry out impact assessments. 

Recognising the rapid advancements in technology globally and the increasing demand for skilled professionals in the STEM fields, the bank said its CSR Trust chose to implement this project to prioritise STEM education in the local education system. For its part, the NSF will recommend schools deserving of STEM education support, assist the bank in selecting and evaluating education projects, which would yield impact at national level, assist the bank to design the training programme and perform impact assessments after the implementation of the STEM programme.
Both parties will identify and implement interventions to address specific requirements of selected schools chosen for the programme, among their other responsibilities listed in the agreement.

Commenting on this latest STEM education programme, Commercial Bank Chief Financial Officer Nandika Buddhipala said, “The bank decided to expand its efforts in the field of STEM education because this will help prepare students for the jobs of the future. Many of the fastest-growing and highest-paying jobs in the modern economy are in STEM fields such as computer science, engineering and data analysis. By providing students with a strong foundation in these subjects, we can ensure that the next generation of Sri Lanka is well-equipped to succeed in careers that are in demand.”