CM seeks private participation in promoting computer literacy

Chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy has called for private participation in the state government's initiative for promoting computer literacy among students of government schools.

Speaking at the inauguration of the 'Digital Art Festival 2006', Reddy said that so far students in about 1,000 government schools in the state were being given basic computer education at a cost of around Rs 45 crore.

"However, there are 9,000 other government schools that are yet untouched by this programme. We intend to cover at least 50 per cent of the government schools this year for which funds to the tune of Rs 450 crore would be required. We, therefore, request private companies to come forward and partner with us in this initiative wherein they can contribute the necessary hardware for the students' use," he added.

"Next month, we will prepare an action plan in this regard," Reddy said, while inaugurating the festival, which is a joint initiative between the state government and NIIT to promote the use of IT among school children. The festival displayed digitally-created paintings by schoolchildren from state government schools tutored by NIIT in computer education.

The first, second and third prizes were given away to U Appanna of AP Social Welfare Residential School, Srikakulam, R Vani of Zilla Parishad Secondary Girls' School, Khammam, and R Suvarna of AP Social Welfare Residential School, Vizianagaram, respectively.

NIIT is offering computer education in 663 government schools in Andhra Pradesh out of 4,200 schools (both public and private) across the country. The company has earned revenues of around Rs 100 crore (24 per cent of its annual revenues) from this business, according to P Rajendran, chief operating officer of NIIT Limited.

"We intend to cover 300 more schools this year," he added. Around 1.5 million school students in India have been trained through such NIIT programmes. Meanwhile, NIIT also intends to expand its presence in China, Vietnam and Africa this year.