Microsoft to invest $125,000 in technology learning centres
Microsoft Malta is to invest $40,000 on the translation of the Digital Literacy Curriculum into Maltese and $85,000 to upgrade operating systems within local Community Technology Learning Centres to enable the use of the new curriculum.
Fiorella Ellul Sullivan, Microsoft Citizenship Manager for Malta and Cyprus, said the investment was in line with the company's commitment to promote e-skills as a driver for productivity.
She was speaking at a seminar organised by Microsoft Malta. The event brought together students, business start-ups and officials from the education sector and governemnt executives.
Ms Ellul Sullivan said that over the past five years, Microsoft Malta invested $500,000 in cash grants and software donations which enabled the setting up of 14 community technology learning centres across Malta and Gozo.
The investment was made in collaboration with the Malta Communications Authority and it has already enabled 5,000 people to receive basic ICT training.
Celia Falzon, an official of the MCA, said thatno country could afford to have pockets of society who were not ICT literate. Malta, she said, lagged leading nations with regard to ICT usage by persons in the 50+ age bracket and those with little formal education. Microsoft's Digital Literacy Curriculum was designed specifically to address these challeges.
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Steve Calascione
May 14th 2010, 08:25
Improving local accessibility, premium. Well done.
Ian Castillo
May 13th 2010, 15:58
It's incredible just how some of you are reasoning here. You should be looking at the value of the investment to the country, not how much it costs Microsoft. There's this ridiculous sense of entitlement, ex. 'Insulting pittance', or 'It costs Microsoft nothing'. Granted, no company will donate/sponsor without getting a return, but that's how the real world works. Microsoft gain exposure for their products, we gain free/discounted software and training - Simple.
I sometimes feel that the moaners here expect nothing less than a big fat cheque from a large company just because that company is wealthy.
Ronald Vella
May 13th 2010, 15:28
Most of that figure is calculated from the selling price of Microsoft products which will not even cost them anything so the actual value is much more pitiful.... So much for Foreign Investment!!!
G.Bonello
May 13th 2010, 15:48
What a load of poison. They have a right not to invest anything back from the selling price if they wanted to. Why all this puke? Why bite the hand that feeds you.
Ha naqleb ghal Malti...
Kemm sirna nies b'rasna mimlijia li investiment, hu kemm hu, sirna nghajruh? Nispera f'Alla li hafna investimenti bhal dawn ma jmorrux ghand pajjiezi ohra.
adrian agius
May 13th 2010, 15:19
€125k !!!!!!!!
Bill Gates must be really worried this morning !!!
D.Galea
May 13th 2010, 14:58
$125.000 are equivalent to €99.455 (Lm42.697)
No no, what an insulting pittance!
Joe Micallef
May 13th 2010, 15:23
Now aren't you missing something! Most businesses would consider the Maltese market as insignificant and would never consider extend their product to Maltese use - Microsoft think otherwise and being what they are is what makes this investment substantial beyond its book value!
D.Galea
May 14th 2010, 20:11
Mr.Micallef I think you are missing something. :-) Microsoft has really no interesting in the insignificant Maltese market, all it's interested in is keeping the Maltese Government happy as long as it's the only one unlike any other European Government who are ALL skeptic towards Microsoft and indeed it only take them a nickel to achieve this. The E.U is Open Source driven except Malta of course.
Gordon Farrugia
May 13th 2010, 14:07
$125,000 - lol - I almost dropped out of my chair chuckling when I saw this. And it made it to the news.... 125k is nothing to microsoft - I would have been impressed with 125 million but 125k doesn't even deserve it to reach the news!
K.Vassallo
May 13th 2010, 13:01
What about Win7 and special packages for us students like what had been done between the government and MS back in XP and Vista?
J.Tonna
May 13th 2010, 15:33
@ M. Spiteri - When did you last watch the news about Malta????????
J.Tonna
May 13th 2010, 15:34
......... and the Handicapped, why not??
N.Calleja
May 13th 2010, 12:49
To all Labour moaners and gloomers!!
No matter how much you try to impress on us Maltese and Gozitans that the government is unstable and gittery, this news item is another indication that foreign investment is pouring in regularly!! Thanks to the 'par idejn sodi' Gonzi and Co.!!
M. Spiteri
May 13th 2010, 14:52
When you say investment is pouring, can you give examples please? or are you an another PN blindman who seeks only to support their party, as if a football team?