By IANS
Abu Dhabi : Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates has announced a number of partnerships with educational institutions and governments in the Middle East as part of Microsoft’s ‘Partners in Learning’ programme, WAM news agency reported Monday.
Gates made the announcement Sunday at the Government Leaders’ Forum-Arabia in the capital city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
In his keynote address, he said the transforming power of education and the critical role public-private partnerships could play in creating vibrant economies across the region.
“Microsoft’s goal is to work in close partnership with governments and partner organisations to help them use technology to accelerate social and economic development,” Gates said.
Gates announced a renewed five-year commitment to the programme and said that Microsoft is continuing to provide educators and partners with resources and training to complement classroom technology.
He also announced an investment of $235.5 million in the Partners in Learning for the next five years, which would bring the company’s total 10-year investment in the programme to nearly $500 million.
The goal of the programme is to leverage the power of information technology to create innovative educational experiences that bring students and teachers closer.
Gates also announced a partnership with the Mohammed Bin Rashid Foundation to enhance research and knowledge creation in the Arab world.
Regional Partners in Learning programme members include Bahrain’s Ministry of Education, which has trained 1,000 teachers in information and communication technology skills so far and Egypt’s Ministry of Education that plans to train more than 50,000 teachers.