Computers are a very important part of our lives today, but not everyone has access to them. In a country where about 948 million people live in rural areas, it can be said that the majority of the population doesn't have access to a computer.
The purpose of World Computer Literacy Day, which is celebrated on December 2, is to help drive digital literacy campaigns and get more people on board.
Today governments across the globe are pushing for digital literacy, but we still have a very long way to go. The digital divide is going down thanks to the government's initiatives and the number of mobile devices that have become available to the world. This day aims to spread awareness about the inculcation of technological skills in people from the marginalised communities.
Computer Literacy Day theme
Every year a specific theme is decided for this day. The events and programmes that are organised around this theme are organised around this given theme. The theme for this year has yet to be announced. The theme for last year was ‘Literacy for human-centered recovery: Narrowing the digital divide.’
History of World Computer Literacy Day
The term 'computer literacy' is attributed to Arthur Lurhmann, a physicist at Dartmouth College. He was a colleague of Kemeny and Kurtz who introduced the BASIC programming language in 1964 and was a tireless advocate of computers in teaching.
World Computer Literacy Day was started by an Indian multinational corporation, the National Institute of Information Technology (NIIT), on its 20th anniversary. The first celebration happened in 2001, with the focus being on educating women and children to improve their computer skills. NIIT was founded by Rajendra Signh Pawar and Vijay K. Thadani in 1981. Since then, the organisation has tied up with various educational institutes to educate children and offer them certificates for completing these courses. They have also held special training classes for women through multiple centers.
Why do we need to celebrate Computer Literacy Day?
According to data, until June 2018, only 55 per cent of the world had access to the internet. This shows that there are over 40 per cent people who lack knowledge of using computers or digital devices. This day is to increase this number so that everyone can access the internet. Women, children, and senior citizens are often the focus as their adoption of digital technologies is comparatively low.
The day is also a celebration of computers. Though we have a special day for that, which is celebrated in February, we still need to appreciate the inventions that have made our lives easier.
How to celebrate World Computer Day?
Many organisations use this day to carry out digital literacy drives, which in the long run will help educate more and more people. You can support such organisations either financially or by volunteering. You can also take the opportunity and teach people around you, so that they can improve their computer skills.
If you have an extra laptop or desktop then you can give it to someone who needs it, or you can donate it to organisations that help out students who are below the poverty line.
