Global Arab Network | Community Knowledge Centres to transform Oman into a digital society

Translate this article to your language:

GANPublications

e-Publications

Add Site to Favorites

Add Page to Favorites

Make Homepage

Share This Page

RSS Feed

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| |

Community Knowledge Centres to transform Oman into a digital society

Global Arab Network - - Mohamed Tamer

Wednesday, 14 October 2009 15:22

MUSCAT — As part of e-oman, the Information Technology Authority (ITA) yesterday launched the Community Knowledge Centre (CKC) Project in Oman. The centre in Salalah is the first to begin training sessions, with the first course having already started on Saturday, October 10. The CKC project was launched at a ceremony under the auspices of Shaikh Abdullah bin Saif al Mahrouqi, Deputy Governor of Dhofar Governorate. Dr Salim bin Sultan al Ruzaiqi, CEO of ITA, in addition to other officials and dignitaries, were also in attendance.

The establishment of these knowledge centres in communities across the country is part of the Community IT Training (CITT) project which falls under the umbrella of the National IT Training and Awareness Framework Initiative (NITTA), a core initiative of ITA to transform Oman into a digital society. The main objective of the Community IT Training Project undertaken by ITA is to train Omani citizens in basic Information Technology (IT) skills in order to lower the rate of IT illiteracy and to bridge the digital divide.

The training programmes offered at the CKCs have been developed so that the community at large is educated in basic Information Technology skills and thus able to utilise the e-services offered by the public sector. ITA"s is establishing several Community Knowledge Centres in different parts of the Sultanate. To start with there will be four CKCs established in four regions — at the Sultan Qaboos Complex, in Muscat; at the Sohar Complex, in Sohar; at the Sport Centre, in Sur; and, at the College of Technology, in Salalah.

Each day, there will be a minimum of four two-hour training sessions, over a three-week period. Required from participants is the commitment to attend one two-hour training sessions per day, for three continuous weeks. All Community Knowledge Centres will be equipped with computers, Internet connectivity and educational IT programmes. Each centre, managed and operated with the support and expertise of a nationally respected training company, will have its own programme and event schedule that will allow interested citizens to register for and participate in the training programmes. Through the CKCs, some 60,000 Omani nationals, over the next three years, will train for and be granted certificates in IT education. (Omanet)

Global Arab Network

Add comment

The opinions of the authors in articles published are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of Global Arab Network
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Published comments are the opinions of private individuals and do not reflect the views of Global Arab Network