Partner for better education: Kalam

NEW DELHI: President of India Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam urged Microsoft and the IT industry to partner with the government to create models for improving the quality of education, especially in the rural sector, with annual targets. He was speaking at the inauguration of the two-day India Academic Summit being organized by Microsoft.






Kalam said, "India has got 600,000 villages and 70 percent of the people live in these villages. Just like Raju's model is being in place in AP villages, the Azim Premji model using computers as learning tools is being used as an accelerated learning program in three states, also a tele-education model is being implemented in the country through EDUSAT, broadband and wireless connectivity." He urged that Microsoft and other IT companies in partnership with government can participate and promote one of the three models or create a unique model for improving the quality of education and implement it especially in rural sector with annual targets.





Kalam further added that the language neutral software and content can be generated initially in three languages and can be reached to states with large population in the country, for example UP, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and other states.





"Microsoft and other IT companies can become partners to teachers training programs and inculcate capacities such as research and inquiry, creativity, use of high technology tools for learning and entrepreneurship among teachers so that they can in turn build these qualities among the youth of the nation," he said.





Kalam also highlighted the need to promote education in-built with entrepreneurial training among the higher secondary and university students. He added, "Microsoft with its experience in the academic area in USA, can evolve an educational package for Indian schools and colleges."





The Microsoft India Academic Summit is expected to bring together members of the industry as well as a range of educators and researchers to foster a collaborative learning community. The summit would also feature workshops. The summit has an education solution café to showcase software access, educational solutions as well as other innovative IT solutions from Microsoft for the education community.