Telecom News Bulletin

Intel Pakistan Corporation, in the last year of a PC donation first announced in 2007, is on its way to fulfill the 4,000 PCs donation target set at the beginning of the PC donation program, which was initiated under Intel’s World Ahead program.

Building classrooms where PCs are a tool for learning, rather than a tool to be learned; an initiative under Intel World Ahead Program

Intel Pakistan Country Manager, Ashar H. Zaidi said, “One the many challenges facing developing countries today is preparing their societies and governments for globalization and the information and communication revolution. Policy-makers, business executives, NGO activists, academics, and ordinary citizens are increasingly concerned with the need to make their societies competitive in the emergent information economy and Intel has gone a step further to educate at the primary level in order to prepare a new generation of innovators.”

The Intel World Ahead Program aims to enhance lives by accelerating access to uncompromised technology for everyone, everywhere. Focused on developing communities it integrates and extends its efforts to use technology to help improve their lives and economies. Intel Pakistan Corporation has extended this program to a majority of the Government schools across the nation such as the Federal Government Colleges for Girls and Boys in the Federal areas as well the Model Colleges. Focusing on women the PCs have also been donated to Fatima Jinnah Degree College for Women, Islamabad College for Girls, F-6/2 and many others.

The devices involved are Intel-powered Classmate PCs, which offer a reliable, portable and durable personal learning tool, thereby providing for in-classroom learning. The PCs will be used to further improve education and increase access to the vast resources of information available. They will be wireless-enabled and supported with Internet connectivity and basic software applications and digital educational resources, provided by School Software Application.

Apart from providing public schools with strong yet affordable technology platforms, Intel has also collaborated with the government in launching initiatives that bring together several key components intended to create an e-learning environment for Pakistani government school students over the long term.

“Intel Pakistan is continuing its work with government and the private sector to enhance digital literacy and bridge the ‘digital divide’, by helping students use technology more effectively, and up-skilling adults working within sectors including education, commerce and healthcare,” Zaidi continued.

These key components include connectivity and professional development programs that train teachers to apply improved learning methods and facilitate the integration of a digital curriculum as well as the development of relevant content via Intel® Teach program.  Through this program training is provided to school teachers on how to use PCs and integrate technology in their teaching and school curriculum.

Altogether, these components aim to equip the next generation of Pakistanis with 21st century learning skills: technology and media literacy, effective communication, critical thinking, problem solving, and collaboration.