The Hindu Business Line : Microsoft partners AP with Project Shiksha

The Chief Minister, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu, watches Mr Rajiv Kaul, MD, Microsoft India, exchange documents with Mr I.V. Subba Rao, Principal Secretary, School Education, after signing the MoU for `Project Siksha' in Hyderabad on Wednesday. At right is Mr Mandava Venkateswara Rao, Minister for School Education - P.V. Sivakumar

Hyderabad , Jan. 14

MICROSOFT Corporation India has entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Andhra Pradesh Government for Microsoft's Project Shiksha to accelerate the IT literacy in the State. Under this a Microsoft IT Academy Centre in the State to provide teacher training is expected to be established.

The initiative, part of a $20-million project, is aimed at reaching out to over 4,00,000 students and over 20,000 teachers in Government schools in the classes III to XII over the next five years.

The MoU was signed by the Managing Director of Microsoft India, Mr Rajiv Kaul, and Dr I.V. Subba Rao, Principal Secretary for School Education Government of Andhra Pradesh, in the presence of the Chief Minister, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu.

The Microsoft Academy would be equipped with an IT laboratory encompassing hardware, software, curriculum and staff for effective delivery of educational facilities and administration. The MoU entails formulation and implementation of a comprehensive teacher training programme, creation of a localised IT curriculum for students, rolling out of teacher and student scholarships programmes and setting up of a teachers' portal.

Speaking after the MoU ceremony, Mr Kaul said `Project Shiksha' seeks to expand the reach of technology. Initially, it will cover three-four States and depending upon the progress would be expanded to 10 States. Significantly, the Telugu version of Microsoft Windows will be lined up to help the growth of IT in regional languages.

Mr Naidu said that the project would herald a new era of empowerment of youth, particularly for the student community living in rural, tribal and backward areas of the State. The project, he said, would equip students and teachers with requisite knowledge and IT skills to bridge the digital divide and take advantage of opportunities of employment.

Project Shiksha was launched by Mr Bill Gates, Chairman of Microsoft Corporation, during his visit to India in 2002. The novel IT education project was first launched in Uttaranchal and Andhra Pradesh is the second State. With a total investment of $20 million, it is proposed to eventually reach out to 3.5 million students and 80,000 school teachers across Government schools in the country over the next five years.

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