Wednesday, 8 December 2010
The main stage of “Computer for All” program is off
Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan attended today a gala event ushering in the launch of the main stage of the Computer for All program, which seeks to boost the use of computers and the Internet and, thereby, help develop information technologies in Armenia.
First, Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan was introduced to the capacities of those computers available under the program. Then, the head of government attended an open class held at Mekhitar Sebstatsi educational complex.
Highlighting the program from the standpoint of his government’s drive for nationwide computerization, Tigran Sargsyan stated as follows, “The Computer for All program urges all the government agencies in Armenia to rally for the sake of an awareness raising campaign in order to get the program’s philosophy and practicalities through to the general public. I am glad to see that educational institutions are joining us leading the way to the development of undergraduate education in our country. Computers are going to substitute the textbooks at school improving thereby the teaching methodology and efficiency.”
Concerning the accessibility of information technologies, the Prime Minister noted in part, “As a matter of fact, the modern world cannot be perceived without the use of computers. You may understand that this process should be started from the very school. We need to tackle the problem at its root over the next 2- 3 years, if we are to build a modern-type society within some 10-15 years. Additional AMD 700mn was earmarked this year to the Ministry of Education and Science so that it could procure computers for the schools in an effort to improve the schoolchildren-computers ratio in the system of general education.”
Speeches were delivered by Intel’s regional director for Kazakhstan, Central Asia and South Caucasus Dmitry Kissel, Hewlett Packard’s sales manager for Central and Eastern Europe Georg Mosgan, Microsoft RA company director Grigor Barseghyan, Director General of Armentel CJSC Igor Klymko, head of Mekhitar Sebstatsi educational complex Ashot Bleyan, Enterprise Incubator Foundation manager Bagrat Yengibaryan.
Memorandums have been signed between the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Education and Science, on the one hand, and Intel and Hewlett Packard companies, on the other, concerning the implementation of two pilot projects entitled “School computer” and “Computer for teachers” respectively. Another memorandum was concluded between the Ministry of Economy and Armentel CJSC on a broader cooperation framework under the aforementioned “Computer for All” program.
