New agreement with Microsoft

The second agreement between the government and Microsoft has been concluded, Information Technology and Investment Minister Austin Gatt said yesterday at the launch of the National Informatics Competition sponsored by the ministry.

The first agreement was signed two years ago and negotiations for the second had been under way for the past eight months, Dr Gatt said, adding that details of the agreement would be announced in the coming weeks.

In view of the government's commitment to train people for specialised employment, Dr Gatt said 150 students have graduated from the Cisco Academy it had set up and the Microsoft Academy would take in its first students in October.

MyWeb courses had already trained 3,000 people who were not accustomed to using computers and another course would start in October.

Dr Gatt said 60 per cent of fifth form students had applied to take the European Computer Driving Licence Course in June and July. The ministry is subsidising part of the costs of the exams.

The National Informatics Competition requires potential candidates to have advanced programming knowledge at an A-level standard. Dr Gatt said it was encouraging for students and offered them an international experience.

Maltese students from sixth form, higher secondary and the University of Malta under the age of 20 are eligible to take part.

The winners will form part of the National Informatics Team and compete with international students in the International Olympiad of Informatics 2004 in Greece between September 11 - 18.

The competition, which consists of a number of informatics problems that have to be solved in a fixed time limit, is being held on June 25.

Students can register on line at www.miti.gov.mt. The closing date for registration is May 21.