ICT education initiative from Ericsson

New Delhi: Ericsson has announced a global education initiative ‘Connect to Learn’ in India, which would impart information and communications technology (ICT) education in schools in resource poor settings.

In line with the vision of a complete 21st century education for everyone, the program provides an opportunity for youth to access learning resources, a statement said.

As a part of the program, Ericsson in association with three leading non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in India --Plan International (India Chapter), Smile Foundation and Pratham Education Foundation-- has launched projects for periods of one to three years, that make a positive impact on the lives of underprivileged students and urban youth in different parts of the country, it added.

The program would offer job-oriented skills and placement assistance to underprivileged youth in Delhi/National Capital Region (NCR) and Mumbai. It will impart training in basic computers and retail sales management skills, along with proficiency in spoken and written English through 20 centres to be set in Delhi/NCR and Mumbai. The curriculum also includes sessions on personal development, career counseling and placement support.

Ericsson will establish 12 Networked Learning Centres in Delhi as knowledge hubs for girls, in association with Plan India.

As a part of the third project, Ericsson will collaborate with Pratham Education Foundation to establish Learning Excellence Program (LEP) in about 15 schools in the villages of Gurgaon. The LEP provides need based support to Government Schools by targeting children who lag behind in their learning levels.

Elaine Weidman-Grunewald, Vice President of Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility (CR), Ericsson said, “As we move closer to the Networked Society, we see mobile broadband emerging as a powerful tool, offering the opportunity to connect even the remotest villages.

“Connect to Learn has been successful in bringing the benefits of connectivity to students and schools worldwide. With more than 1 bn people in India, the potential to contribute to improved access to education is enormous. Through the formation of initiatives like Connect To Learn, we demonstrate that public-private partnerships are key to developing sustainable solutions that can make a major impact in education through technology.”

Chris Houghton, Head of Region, Ericsson India said, “ICT has immense potential to offer learning opportunities and also have positive impact on a country’s economic growth. With the three partners, we are creating a unique Connect to Learn ecosystem in India which will make a difference in the lives of thousands of underprivileged children and youth by creating an environment that is conducive to their overall growth and development.”