Microsoft revises target for Shiksha

NEW DELHI: Microsoft, having trained over 42,000 teachers in the first phase of its Shiksha Program, is now targeting 80,000 teachers by 2007.

On the occasion of its 'Innovative Teachers Leadership' awards ceremony in New Delhi today, Rohit Kumar, country head - public sector, Microsoft India Pvt Ltd, observed that the first phase had helped the company reach out to over 2.1 million students through the trained teachers.

"We are optimistic to realize the target in the next two years, but we want the process to continue as we keep on training more and more teachers through this project," Kumar said.

The training is provided at various academies opened by Microsoft under memoranda of understanding (MoUs) signed with Uttaranchal, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharastra, West Bengal, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan.

Kumar said an MoU had also been signed with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) for extending reach of IT to students and teachers in MCD schools.

Microsoft chairman and chief architect Bill Gates had launched Project Siksha program on his visit to India in November 2002. The project aims to train teachers to use computer technology for delivering lectures on every subject.