New Delhi, November 04, 2006: Intel’s Chairman Craig Barrett has an agenda for achieving inclusive, quality growth in India: High-class educational training, Idea generation for Research and Development and a conducive environment for setting up new companies. If the government provides these, Information Communications Technology (ICTs) can become a powerful multiplier for rapid inclusive growth.
Mr. Barrett, speaking at the Digital Leaders Forum organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in New Delhi, said Intel, the world’s largest manufacturer of computer chips, is chipping in to do its bit. “We will expand our Indian chapter of the Intel Learn Programme, a worldwide initiative to help classroom teachers learn how best to use technology to improve teaching and learning. We aim to train a million teachers by the end of 2008.” Nearly 600,000 teachers have been trained under this programme so far.
Intel’s World Ahead Programme drives digital inclusion in emerging countries, focusing on Accessibility, Connectivity, Content and Education. “It is important to create opportunities for widespread ownership and shared access of personal computers through affordability, access and content, including the development of fully featured, affordable PCs tailored to local needs,” Mr. Barrett said at the CII event.
Expanding wireless broadband Internet access by cultivating the required ecosystems and encouraging deployment, including the broad promotion of WiMAX trials and deployment will further help improve in the area of Connectivity, he said.
The Government needs to prepare students for success in the global economy through education programmes and resources, including professional development for teachers worldwide, Mr. Barrett said.
Public-Private partnerships are vital for the future global leaders to progress, he said. “It is important to enable citizens and employees take advantage of the opportunities available for further growth of the country.”
The 11th Five Year Plan aims at increasing the number of people getting into higher education from 9 percent to 15 percent, said Member Secretary, Planning Commission, Mr Rajeeva Ratna Shah. “The plans principle focus will be on education per se”. He was also speaking at the same CII Digital Leaders’ Forum.
Digital divides need to be bridged along with other divides such as the power and the poverty barrier, Mr. Shah said. “Diversity and vigor of individuality is the requirement for innovation”.
Minister (Education, Languages & Sports), Government of Haryana, Mr Phool Chand Mullana said his government has taken initiatives in order to improvise higher education, upgrade school education and introduce broadband dial-up internet.
Haryana government and Intel signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for teacher training programmes with the introduction of ICT in almost all government schools, the Minister said. Haryana is one of Intel’s partner states in the Intel World Ahead programme.
Director General, CII, Lt Gen S.S Mehta said cyberspace has the ability to leapfrog the values and leverage it to ensure that ICT enables India towards digital leaders.
“The ICT revolution is creating opportunities that can turn historical models on head,” said Chairman, CII Telecom Committee and Managing Director, Hutchinson Essar Limited, Mr Asim Ghosh.
The CII Digital Leaders’ Forum is a platform that hosts leaders from the ICT world on a regular basis. It has already hosted leaders from Motorola, Intel and CISCO is on the anvil next month.
NeelamJoshi
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