Obi , Microsoft, New Horizons Empower Anambra Youths

In a unique partnership agreement signed with New Horizons, Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State has decided to spearhead an ICT revolution in the country  that will have about 10, 000 Secondary School Students of Anambra State plus 1, 500 civil servants being  empowered with one laptop each and relevant ICT skills in Microsoft courses. The first phase of the program will kick off next month, where 6, 500 participants will benefit.
According to Governor Peter Obi, “ICT is the future of this country; therefore our people in Anambra state should be at the vanguard of the ICT revolution in Nigeria”. He further asserted that “the greatest legacy any government can bestow to the incoming generation is qualitative education driven by ICT”.
Ken Spann spoke  on the significance of an IT Literate society and  noted that “Education is a powerful and positive force for growth and development in every society. Microsoft believes that education drives forward the goals and aspirations of nations, industries and individuals. Microsoft is committed to create partnerships with students, educators, institutions and governments to help them achieve their educational goals and contribute to the development of the country and their industries”. 
By this partnership Anambra State under Governor Peter Obi has become the first to produce 100 Microsoft Academies. Furthermore the state is first to begin the process of allocation of one-laptop per child initiative. Thirdly, his administration is first to also give one-laptop per civil servant as against what obtains in other states where civil servants cannot have access to computer after working hours. The civil servants in Anambra State can take the laptop home as this will increase their proficiency in ICT skills.
According to Tim Akano, MD/CEO New Horizons, Gov. Peter Obi’s initiative is keeping to the tradition of excellence which he epitomises. He said also that “the Peter Obi Initiative will go a long way to consolidate the intellectual achievement of old generations of Anambra State indigenes, a state that has produced great sons and daughters like the world’s renowned Poet and Writer – Albert Chinualumogu Achebe from Ogidi, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie from Abba and most significantly, Dr. Phillip Emeagwali, who according to Black Inventor’s website is called “Africa’s Bill Gates, and the biggest African Scientist of all time. 
Governor Obi while highlighting the main objective of embarking on this project said “it is in keeping up with the promise I made to the people of Anambra state that our administration would continue to concentrate on projects that would have strategic, lasting impact on the people and not projects intended to have just passing political capital or statements. He stated further that one of the intentions of this initiative is to reduce the rate of unemployment especially among the Youths, adding that early transfer of relevant skills to Secondary School Students and also up-skilling the ICT competency of civil servants in the state will turn Anambra state into a 21st Century knowledge economy.
Under this agreement,  Microsoft would be registering 100 out of the participating schools as IT Academies that would offer relevance, access and affordability from the IT Enterprise’s wide bouquet of software solutions such as the Microsoft Office 2007 Home and Students’ version. Moreover, Microsoft will provide online and offline access methods for students to get access to products parts of MSDN Academic Alliance. They will also launch Dreamspark program for online access to students in the country.
Microsoft IT Academy program is a nonprofit initiative offering 21st Century Skills for Employability training and enable continuing training possibilities, as they offer both digital literacy and curriculum for professional ICT skills ideal for information workers, IT professionals and developers.  Microsoft will work with the Ministry of Education and each Secondary school to establish and expand Microsoft IT Academy Centres to facilitate a low cost continuum of ICT skills training. 
Microsoft will support the activation of the educational institutions, and New Horizons will train 1 teacher per IT Academy through its highly skilled Instructors.
The State Government will identify the schools and civil servants to benefit from this training and support with necessary funds, logistics and infrastructure such as classrooms for the training while New Horizons Systems Solutions Limited will recruit and re-train instructors that would be involved in the subsequent training. The company will also provide computer systems (laptops) to the participating schools and civil servants, which would be given to the participants at the end of the programme. The training is set to commence from the last quarter of the year 2009.