• 100% digital transformation of Govt. services in 2024
• Vacuum of 20,000+ IT professionals in Sri Lanka
• Sri Lanka is far behind in terms of technology
• Plan to leap from Industry 2.0 to Industry 4.0
• IT to be included in university Arts curriculum
• Must renew O/L, A/L curricula to suit IT job market
• Cyber Security Act to be implemented soon
• Data Protection Authority in the pipeline
• Seeking Indian expertise for digital ID project

The Government aims to introduce 100% digital transformation of all the services of the Government sector in 2024 under its ‘Next Gen’ programme, while also leaping from Industry 2.0 to Industry 4.0, said State Minister of Technology Kanaka Herath, in an interview with The Sunday Morning.

Asserting that Sri Lanka was lagging far behind its regional counterparts in terms of technology, Minister Herath said: “Everybody talks about the Industrial Revolution; they talk about Industry 4.0. However, are we in line with the current Industrial Revolution? Except for the apparel sector, all the other sectors are far behind. What we have planned is to leap from Industry 2.0 to Industry 4.0.”

The State Minister – who is an aerospace engineer with an MSc in Aviation and is currently reading for his MPhil – also outlined plans to introduce Information Technology (IT) as a subject to the Arts curriculum of universities to ensure graduate employability and also address the vacuum of IT professionals in the country. 

Speaking on cyber security and data protection, he said the Cyber Security Act would be implemented soon while a Data Protection Authority was also in the pipeline. Meanwhile, the ministry is seeking Indian expertise to implement the digital ID project in Sri Lanka, which is being funded by the Indian Government.

Following are excerpts of the interview:

Sri Lanka is aiming for IT industry revenue of $ 3 billion by next year. Revenue now stands at $ 1.7 billion. How do you propose to achieve this revenue goal?

The Government has understood the importance of the IT industry, which has contributed heavily to the Sri Lankan economy in the past couple of years. According to the IT sector, we have had foreign revenue of around $ 1.5-1.7 billion. When you compare it with other industries, if you take plantations, it took more than 100 years to achieve the $ 4 billion mark. However the IT sector has gone past $ 1.5 billion in 10-15 years.

There are some challenges right now given the current situation. The ongoing brain drain is also causing some challenges. However, it is a realistic target and we think we will be able to achieve the target within two years – that is, by the end of 2024. We have also implemented short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals to achieve this target.

Is this goal realistic given the ongoing brain drain in the IT sector? How can Sri Lanka address the manpower shortfall?

It is realistic. There are challenges, as I mentioned, however in the short term we are planning to introduce the IT subject into the curriculum of the Arts sector for undergraduates in the universities. Right now if you take the Arts undergraduates, as they finish their degrees they look for jobs. If we introduce IT, we will be able to employ them as soon as they finish their degrees. That is one short-term goal.

What is the guarantee that these graduates will remain in the country?

That again is a challenge we have. Right now there is a vacuum of about 20,000 or more IT professionals in Sri Lanka. We have to start from the school level, even after O/Ls and A/Ls. If you look at school leavers, about 300,000 are unemployed. If we can introduce IT into vocational training, it will also benefit the IT sector.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe recently said plans were underway to create a competitive, modern technology-based export economy. What steps have been taken in this regard?

In terms of technology, when you compare with other countries in this region, we are far behind. Everybody talks about the Industrial Revolution, they talk about Industry 4.0. However, are we in line with the current Industrial Revolution? Except for the apparel sector, all the other sectors are far behind.

What we have planned is to leap from Industry 2.0 to Industry 4.0. That is a big challenge. We are planning to have symposiums as well as exhibitions with Industry 4.0, where all the technical experts from international companies in the industry can come and participate. We are planning this for end 2023. It will enable us to gain from their knowledge and technology. 

If you take agriculture, for example, we talk about smart agriculture, but have we implemented that?

The Digital Transformation Policy is looking at including IT as a subject for A/Ls. What steps have been taken thus far?

Yes. To start with, we have already started training 700 teachers under the teacher training programme in 2023. This year we are planning to train more than 1,500 teachers. For the first time, with the collaboration of the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Technology, and the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA), we have drafted a Digital Transformation Policy for schools, which is very important.

We are trying to renew the curricula for O/L and A/L students so it will suit the IT job market and is relevant.

What is the status of the ‘Next Gen’ Government programme and what are its goals?

In the ‘Next Gen’ Government programme, the ICTA has initiated the training of 100,000 Government officers. We implemented this in the last quarter of last year and we are planning to train more than 40,000 Government officers this year. The target is, according to the 2023 Budget speech of the President, to introduce 100% digital transformation of all the services of the Government sector in 2024. For that, we have to train all the officials; otherwise it will not be practical.

Even with this training, do you believe that the goal of 100% digital transformation is possible within this time period?

It is practical. We have already started this project. With some of the institutes, say if you take the Colombo Municipal Council, some of the services are already being carried out via digital transactions.

Is there buy-in from the rest of the agencies, departments, and ministries? Are they coordinating and cooperating with your ministry to make this a reality?

That is the biggest issue right now. We have had some discussions with some of the relevant ministries and they are ready to support us. 

The Cabinet recently approved a proposal by the President to implement an Information and Cyber Security Policy in all State bodies listed under public authorities. Has there been any progress on this? What are the steps that have been taken to improve cyber security in Sri Lanka?

The Cyber Security Act has already been drafted and we are awaiting some amendments, after which we are going to send it to the Legal Draftsman. Following that, we will be able to implement it in Sri Lanka.

It will protect individuals – there are so many issues right now – and also the institutes and even the private sector. 

Is there a timeline for implementation?

Yes, we are trying to put it to Parliament as soon as possible.

Could you outline the current status and progress of the National Identity Card digitisation programme?

I think that’s the main project of our ministry, the Unique ID (UID) or digital ID. This ID will contain biometrics. This project is funded by the Indian Government, which has allocated around Rs. 13 billion for this. So far we are planning to advertise at the end of this month or early next month. The technical expertise is from our ministry and the ICTA and after that we are going to hand it over to the Department for Registration of Persons.

Do we have the technical expertise in Sri Lanka to carry out this project?

No, that is why we are going to advertise it in India. It is funded by India, which implemented this programme a couple of years ago. We are going to get the technical know-how from the Indian IT sector.

You recently said a Data Protection Authority would be established this year to regulate the negative effects of digitisation. What do you mean by this and how do you propose to go about it?

Last year we presented it to Parliament and the act has been approved. We have to form the authority as soon as possible. There are some amendments as well, but we will be able to form the authority within a couple of months. 

What will it do, what is the purpose?

It will protect individual data as well as data from the Government sector.