E-Sri Lanka: bridging the digital divide

Purpose – The overall aim of this study is to examine the impact of e-Sri Lanka’s Telecentre Development Programme in bridging the digital divide. Design/methodology/approach – A survey research method was used in the study to collect qualitative and quantitative data from actual and potential Telecentre users in relevant communities. The study was carried out through a survey. The primary sample comprised of 30 percent of the Telecentres. The secondary sample included users and potential users around the Telecentres. The total number of users and potential users was 338. The study was conducted from early January 2005 to the of end February 2006. Findings – The survey data disclosed that still only a small percentage of the total population are aware of Telecentres and use the facilities offered by them. The crucial factor affecting usage is language. According to the majority of respondents, as they understand only native languages they have not benefited from services such as like the internet and e-mail. The content or the information that can be offered through Telecentres plays a pivotal role in this regard. Out of the 70 percent of rural population, the majority are not familiar with the English language. Therefore, Sinhalaand Tamil-speaking people are disadvantaged. The survey data confirms that all Telecentres are highly (100 per cent) dependent on subsidies provided by ICTA. Hence, the sustainability of Telecentres is questionable at present. Research limitations/implications – The Telecentres situated in the North East region had to be excluded from the study due to the resumption of hostilities between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), and a corresponding lack of access and security in the region. The North East Province contains 9.84 per cent of Telecentres set up under the project. Practical implications – The findings of the study will help policy makers, decision makers and donors to properly address the key issues such as connectivity, accessibility, content and services, sustainability, skills development, partnerships with stakeholders and the needs of disadvantaged groups. Further, the problems and successes identified by the study will be useful for policy and decision makers to ensure the sustainability of the Telecentres and how the e-Sri Lanka initiative and especially the 1,000 Telecentre project could be used to narrow the digital divide in Sri Lanka. Originality/value – This will be the first in-depth study on the Telecentres, which are one of the major components of the government’s e-Sri Lanka initiative. The findings and methods used to analyse the data will be relevant to future studies of community-based ICT initiatives and the broader areas of information-seeking, information-seeking behaviour, and user needs.