Govt’s total solutions project makes good time

Chiphen Rigpel, government’s largest ICT skill building Project in the country has trained over 2500 teachers and set-up computer labs in 168 schools over a period of three years.

The remaining teachers will be trained in the remaining project period.

All the 27 training centers are fully functional under the project. Nine training centers have been set up across the country under e-governance and 3500 out of targeted 7200 have been trained.

The trainees included senior leaders, Parliamentarians, monks, civil servants, corporate and private sector employees.

Seven Teacher Training Centers have been established (PCE, SCE, Damphu HSS, Zhemgang HSS, Monggar HSS, Rangjung HSS, Samdrup Jonkhar HSS).

A total of 2794 teachers, including 46 core group IT teachers, have been trained against the five year target of 5000.

Under the program of ‘ICTization’ of schools, “Computer training labs, complete with faculty, curriculum and Geometric Sketch pads have been set-up in 168 schools across the country,” the Project Director, TandiWangchuk said adding that about 53,357 students currently avail computer training.

From the target of eight computer training labs, five labs, complete with faculty and curriculum, have been established.  These facilities were established in the Technical Institutes in Khuruthang, Chumey, Rangjung, Thimphu and the Employment Service Center under the Labor ministry.

“The remaining three centers have been completed in June this year but we have not inaugurated,” the Project Director said. He said that about 2371 certifications have been achieved and presently 793 out of 8400 five year target are avail computer training.

In the tertiary institutes, four computer training labs with faculty and curriculum have been set up. The beneficiary institute includes Gaeddu College of Business Studies, Jigme Namgyel Polytechnic, Sherubtse College and College of Science and Technology.  “About 3868 certifications have been achieved and currently 1080 students are pursue computer classes.”

Three Computer training centers have also been set up under YDF at Nazhoen Pelri, Thimphu, Drug Rehabilitation Center at Sisina and Drop-in Center, Bumthang. This is intended to engage the vulnerable youths.  From the 1200 target, the current number of certifications stands at 1203.  76 more are currently undergoing computer training.

In addition, 51 Learning stations have been installed and operationalized till date against the 5 year target of 131.

The Project has set up computer labs with five access points at Pema Choling Nunnery in Tang, Sangchen Dorji Lhendrup Nunnery, Punakha, Kanglung Shedra, and is in process to set up similar labs with five to 10 access points at Shechen Goenpa Nunnery, Sisina, Tango Buddhist College, Dechenphodrang Monastic School, Kidekhar Shedra, Mongar and Thimphu Tashichhodzong.

“Students feel computer skills are basic requirements for learning and access to internet while teachers have found the course useful for lesson-planning and presentations. The opinion is positive,” the project director said.

“An overall impact we hope to achieve in few years time is that any student who passes from our school system will have basic skills in computers”.

He said, today one of the questions during job interviews is ‘Can you operate computer?’ This question will be not required then.

The Project which completed its 2nd year this April is on track to fulfill the national aspiration of an ‘IT-enabled Knowledge economy’.

The five-year project will end in 2014.