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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
Media Desk
Confederation of Indian Industry
4th floor, Core 4A,
India Habitat Center
Lodhi Road, New Delhi
PH-: 011-24682230-35/41220036(D)
(M)-9810882431
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