Microsoft IT Academy Launched in Rajasthan
IT News Online Staff
2006-03-03
Microsoft Corp. India Private Limited and the Education Department, Government of Rajasthan, have formally launched the Microsoft IT Academy in the state of Rajasthan. The IT Academy in Jaipur will serve as a pivotal point for imparting IT training to teachers across the state.
The IT Academy, which was inaugurated by Vasundhara Raje, Chief Minister for the State of Rajasthan, is a key part of the MoU signed between Microsoft and the Government of Rajasthan in August 2005 for implementation of Microsoft's Partners-in-Learning program, within the Rajasthan Education Initiative.
Under the MoU over the next five years, Microsoft aims to accelerate IT integration in education amongst 8000 teachers and over 400,000 students (from Class III to Class XII) across 3,000 Government schools in the state. As per the agreement with the Government of Rajasthan, Microsoft is committed to offer a 12-day training program free of cost for participating teachers to equip them to use technology in teaching students in a classroom environment.
The Jaipur IT Academy is at Radhakrishnan Shiksha Sankul, JLN Marg covering an area of over 3000 sq ft. The facility is equipped with a state-of-the-art IT lab complete with latest hardware, software, curriculum and staff for effective delivery of IT training for school teachers. While 20 PCs will be used for the routine training process, a laptop has been provided to the IT Academy Manager who is required to visit various schools across the state to ensure consistency in delivery process. To ensure wider participation and local relevance, the IT training courseware is translated in Hindi in partnership with the state education department.
Since the MOU signing in August last year, Microsoft has already trained over 400 teachers. In addition to the training at the IT Academy, Microsoft has also started teacher training at five DIET centers in the state at Sikar, Sirhohi, Sri Ganganagar, Bhilwara and Jhlalwar.districts.
Vasundhara Raje, Chief Minister of Rajasthan, said, "Our partnership with Microsoft compliments our government's unique focus for leveraging technology to create a skilled resource base in our state comprising of the next generation of IT professionals. Driven by this vision, our Rajasthan Education Initiative is focused on enabling widespread advancements in the education sector. Our partnership with Microsoft is a key deliverable here and we are confident that the IT Academy set up today will encourage early adoption of technologies by both students and teachers across government schools in the state."
Vasundhara Raje said that this was a mile stone achievement that would instill innovative pedagogical strategies by providing qualitative learning skills to the teachers and augmenting the self development of school children by getting them on par with the global competitive paradigm of education. With this Microsoft IT Academy and District level computer-based training of teachers and children we have realized our dream of providing expertise and quality to our educational scenario. It is a satisfying moment for Rajasthan to witness the launch of the Microsoft Academy, which reflects the wider acceptability of the REI.
The Ghanshyam Tiwari, Education Minister, said that finalizing the form and content of the REI and launching the implementation strategy in the short period of one year has been a great achievement. The REI is driven by the State Government and supported by the activities of the core partners, namely the World Economic Forum, The Confederation of Indian Industries and the Global e-Schools and Communities Initiatives has made a unique start in the transformation of education in the state. With the launch of this Microsoft IT Academy ICT, integration in education becomes a reality, and with the introduction of ICT in teaching learning transaction, the teachers after being trained in the latest IT labs shall be well equipped technologically. The training at the five DIETs will be very helpful in capacity building amongst teachers.
Vasudev Devnani, Minister of State for Education, said that the Rajasthan Education Initiatives is a new venture for engaging global and local partners from the private corporate sector, foundations, NGOs in innovative multi shareholder partnerships to quantitatively support education in the State of Rajasthan. He added that economical, technological and social drivers are reinventing education and integrating individuals, industries, communities and nations together in an unprecedented way across the globe. It is the vision of the Rajasthan Education Initiative that envisages transformation of the education sector by infusing active public private partnership in ICT and Non ICT domains.
Peter Moore, Managing Director - Public Sector, Microsoft Asia Pacific, said, "We firmly believe technology holds tremendous potential for transforming the traditional classroom environment and helping students and teachers learn more in a dynamic and interactive manner. Towards meeting this objective, our Partners-in-Learning program is geared to deliver the latest technology solutions in ways that are affordable and accessible for the education community, and ultimately help create an educational experience that connects, removes limitations and creates opportunities today and for the future."
Rohit Kumar, Country Head - Public Sector, Microsoft India Corp. Pvt. Ltd., said, "Under our Partners-in-Learning program we seek to work in close partnership with state governments and education departments for accelerating IT literacy amongst students and teachers across government schools. Today we are collaborating with nine state governments and have trained over 52,000 plus teachers and reached out to over 2.6 million students."
"Our Project Shiksha has met with tremendous success both from a teacher and student perspective around the country. This is clearly reflected in a qualitative research by A C Nielson. Commissioned by Microsoft, the study highlights the enhancement of the classroom experience by integration of IT in the curriculum. It goes on to show in many cases, the reduction in the school drop out rate and higher motivation for both teachers and students. Most students surveyed pointed out that learning on a PC meant there was no need for them to unnecessarily 'mug up' lessons now since it was easy to understand difficult concepts when taught on the PC," said Kumar.
"The IT Academy in Jaipur inaugurated today underlines the common commitment that we share with the Government of Rajasthan for accelerating IT literacy and unleashing the next wave of IT education in the state," added Kumar.
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