Qualcomm, Premji Foundation work for rural edu

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Qualcomm Incorporated, a provider of advanced wireless technologies, products and services, and Azim Premji Foundation, which has a vision of contributing to universal quality of education that facilitates just, equitable and humane society, announced on Wednesday an initiative that would advance web-enabled educational content and provide wireless broadband access to certain rural and government-run schools in India.

The initiative, in its pilot phase, would connect close to forty government-run schools in underserved communities across four states – Gujarat, Karnataka, Orissa and Rajasthan, said a press release.

The project is aimed at impacting government schools through provision of wireless broadband technologies and facilitates enriched learning experiences for students through engaging web-enabled and regionalized / contextualized educational content that can be easily updated and disseminated broadly.

Azim Premji Foundation’s vision to significantly contribute to achieve universal education as a fundamental right for every child finds common ground with Qualcomm’s desire to empower education in rural communities by using advanced wireless technologies through its Wireless Reach initiative.

Both organizations believe that wireless technology has the potential to be a catalyst for development, changing mindsets and promoting access to quality education that is fundamental to India’s emergence as a developed nation.

“Qualcomm believes wireless technology is the most efficient and economic way to connect underserved communities and provide access to quality education and we are pleased to be working with Azim Premji Foundation,” said Dr. Paul E. Jacobs, chairman and chief executive officer of Qualcomm.

He added that through their Wireless Reach initiative, this project would expand access to education in these communities and demonstrate our commitment to the people of India.

“We believe that technologically enabled, modern classrooms have enormous potential to contribute to quality in all government schools, especially in rural India,” said Azim H. Premji, chairman of Wipro and founder of Azim Premji Foundation.

He added that they are excited to work with Qualcomm and to leverage its technological expertise and experience in similar projects across the world.

Azim Premji Foundation is currently engaged in piloting and developing a ‘proof of concept’ that can act as a catalyst for systemic change in India’s 1.3 million government-run schools.

Qualcomm’s Wireless Reach initiative aims to empower communities that have limited or no telecommunications access through the use of 3G technologies, which will help contribute to long-term socio-economic development, the release added.