THE GOVERNMENT of Jamaica and Microsoft Corporation, yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will see the international software giant offering resources for skills training in information and communication technology.
The agreement signed by Education Minister Maxine Henry-Wilson, Commerce and Technology Minister Phillip Paulwell, and Rick Marcet, General Manager of Microsoft West Indies, will see computer education being made available to children across the island at the primary and secondary levels.
The programme dubbed 'Partners in Learning' is to commence in March and run for the next five years.
INVESTING IN THE FUTURE
"Partners in Learning is about investing in the future so students will have a better chance of turning technological disadvantage into technological advantage," said Mr. Marcet.
Microsoft will provide free software for computers donated to the Ministry of Education through its Educational Technology Programme.
The teachers and ministry personnel who will supervise the process will be trained to use the software at Heart Trust/NTA and the University of The West Indies where Information Technology centres will be established by Microsoft during the year.
Teachers can then access support and training at the centres. Yolanda Ramos, Microsoft regional education manager, said her company expects to invest US$500,000 ($30 million) in the programme over the period.
Already a local company has donated 250 used computers to the Education Ministry's programme. The computers will be equipped with operating software, Windows98 and Windows2000.
"That this day has arrived fills us with tremendous joy as we see it as another launching pad for achieving our goal of an ICT literate, technologically savvy society and technologically savvy people," said Minister Henry-Wilson.
