Microsoft and the Education Ministry have signed a memorandum of understanding to foster greater collaboration between both entities.

Microsoft will seek to turn Malta into a “lighthouse” for innovative educational technologies that go beyond the introduction of hardware in schools.

The MOU was signed this morning at Stella Maris College in Gżira between Microsoft country manager Adrianna Zammit and a representative of the Education Ministry.
The agreement was signed in the presence of Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and Microsoft vice president for Worldwide Education Anthony Salcito.

Dr Muscat said the partnership with Microsoft was part of government’s drive to enable children to learn in a new way. “This is not just about technology but about education and giving children the tools to learn,” Dr Muscat said.

Dr Muscat was given a tour of the school where 12 classes from Year Four upwards use tablets and netbooks to learn the various subjects.

Stella Maris College had partnered with Smart Technologies and Microsoft in 2011 for a pilot project on how education devices could be adapted to the classrooms.

Teachers gave the Prime Minister an overview of how the technologies were being used in class as students put up their best behaviour in front of the media glare.