The Hindu Business Line : Microsoft ties up with Karnataka for learning programme

Mr T.M. Vijay Bhaskar (left), Secretary, Karnataka's Education Department, with Mr Rajiv Kaul, Managing Director, Microsoft India, after signing an MoU for roll-out of Microsoft's partners-in-learning programme in Bangalore on Monday. - G.R.N. Somashekar

Bangalore , Nov. 22

MICROSOFT India has tied up with the Karnataka Government to roll out its partners-in-learning programme in the State.

The programme encompassed Microsoft's flagship India education initiative `Project Shiksha - empowering the future' as well as two other initiatives, namely Fresh Start and School Agreement, said a company press release.

Mr T.M. Vijay Bhaskar, Secretary, Karnataka's Education Department, and Mr Ravi Venkatesan, Chairman, Microsoft India, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to this effect. Mr Rajiv Kaul, Managing Director, Microsoft India, was also present on the occasion.

In a bid to ensure access and training on the latest computer technologies to students and schoolteachers, Microsoft aims to reach out to over four lakh students and over 20,000 teachers in Government schools over the five-year MoU period, the release said.

The MoU entailed the setting up and running of three Microsoft IT Academy Centres in Bangalore, Gulbarga and Dharwad for delivering comprehensive training to teachers. The centres would be equipped with world-class facilities, including an IT lab, encompassing hardware, software, curriculum and staff for education delivery and administration.

Microsoft will develop and design student curriculum encompassing a variety of software tools and supporting courseware. This will be introduced as a subject in respect of information technology in all classes from Class III up to Class XII.

The MoU also entailed the formulation and implementation of a comprehensive teacher training programme, creation of a localised IT curriculum for students, rolling-out of teacher and student scholarship programmes and setting up of a teachers portal, the release said.

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