Education first
View(s):IT companies such as Microsoft are investing substantially in the education sector for growth
Reiterating that education is an important sector for Microsoft Corporation, the IT major announced a global investment of $250 million over five years into its Microsoft Partners in Learning (MPIL) programme recently, taking its total investment in the program to $750 million over 15 years.
Without going into details of its investments in India, Lauren Woodman, Microsoft’s General Manager for Worldwide Education and Government Programs said that it was a key market for the company.
“India is very exciting for us and we will continue to keenly engage with it,” she said.
The first phase of MPIL in the country was Project Shiksha to offer affordable software solutions, comprehensive training and curriculum leadership for students and teachers in government schools. The curriculum, available in six regional languages and delivered over 8-12 days, looks at how teachers can integrate IT tools in their classroom teaching and other functions.
Apart from establishing IT academies, Microsoft has also tied up with State-run District Institute for Education and Training (DIETS) and educational institutions like Jawahar Navodya Samiti and Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan. Currently, the project is being used by government school teachers across schools in Maharashtra, Uttaranchal, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Bihar, Rajasthan, Mizoram, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.
thehindu.com
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