Microsoft signs MoU with Tamil Nadu government

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed today between the Tamil Nadu government and Microsoft Corporation (India) to help the latter implement its quality enhancement project for school teachers. The Microsoft project is called 'Project Siksha'.

A Tamil Nadu government press release said that under the MoU, Microsoft will set up and run an information technology academy in Chennai for a period of five years, while the state government will provide a building in which the facility will be set up. This is to be completed by February 2006.

Each batch of teachers is to receive 12 days' training in computer literacy as well as computer-aided teaching techniques.

The scheme was formally launched today when Microsoft chairman, Bill Gates, and his delegation met Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa. The academy in Chennai will be supplemented by centres in Madurai, Tiruchirapalli, Tirunelveli, Salem and Vellore.

The aim of the programme is to train 80,000 teachers over a 5-year period and around 35 lakh students will get the benefits.