Microsoft to set up more centers in RI
Microsoft to set up more centers in RI
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
PT Microsoft Indonesia plans to set up seven additional
community-based Technology and Learning Centers (CLTCs) in West
Java and Kalimantan in September as part of its commitment to
boost domestic computer market penetration.
Company president director Tony Chen said Microsoft Indonesia
had joined hands with the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB) to
set up centers in the two provinces' rural areas to provide
farmers a chance to get acquainted with computers.
"Microsoft Indonesia has made a major commitment to promote
skill development that will enable people from a different way of
life to use software in productive ways," he said on Friday at a
signing ceremony marking collaboration between Microsoft and the
ASEAN Foundation on a training the trainers (TTT) program for the
centers.
Chen said currently there were 21 CLTCs across Sumatra, Java,
Bali, Lombok, Kalimantan and Sulawesi.
He also said that establishing more CLTCs would narrow the
country's digital divide as well as boost computer market
penetration.
"At present, the country's computer penetration stands at
about 2 percent, or about four million personal computers from
223 million people. This figure is too low," he said.
To support the success of the program, Microsoft Indonesia
signed a one-year agreement with the ASEAN Foundation to conduct
a series of TTTs to prepare a group of people who come from the
existing CTLCs to become trainers.
"After completing the TTT program, the trainers are expected
to train five to 10 local trainers in their respective areas. So
overall, it is expected that a total of around 500 trainers will
be trained during this phase," Chen said.
Under the agreement, the ASEAN Foundation would facilitate the
trainings -- comprising of eight modules such as word processing,
web design and Internet usage.
Executive director of the ASEAN Foundation Apichai Sunchindah
hoped such collaboration could be expanded to other neighboring
countries that also experienced a huge gap in information
technology, such as Cambodia and Laos.
"Why is Indonesia the first? Because there is a great need
here. If we can succeed here, we can expand to other member
countries," he said.
He added that without narrowing the digital divide among ASEAN
countries -- Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,
Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam -- it
would be impossible for them to emerge as one economic community.
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