Kenya Minister of Education, Science and Technology Signs Partners in Learning MOU

    Microsoft EMEA signed a Partners in Learning MOU with The Ministry of Education Science and Technology on March 3, 2004. This was a significant step forward for the region, and intends to address the shortage of ICT skills to create a technology literate society in the country. A model of collaboration to enable better skills development, the inter-agency MOU has been signed between Microsoft, the ThinkQuest Africa Program and the Global Teenager Project. ThinkQuest Africa Program is the Pan African representation of the ThinkQuest International program that trains African students and their teacher-coaches to integrate information and communication technologies across the curricula. Global Teenager Project (GTP) currently exists for both Educators and Learners within and outside formal learning processes and the core of its partnership with Microsoft is that the Partners in Learning program will be supporting a number of countries, via teacher training and continuous support of teachers/educators to participate in GTP. Through GTP a target audience of 30 Teachers and 600 students at 15 schools have participated in the program.

Western Australia Minister for Education Launches Partners in Learning at Inaugural "Connected Learning Conference"

    Microsoft Australia and the Department of Education (DET), Western Australia launched Partners in Learning on September 23, 2004. The Minister for Education launched the program in his keynote address to open the conference. Western Australia is the first of the eight Australian states to launch Partners in Learning and received unprecedented interest from teachers attending the conference. In partnership with the DET and Schoolkit, Partners in Learning will deliver online professional learning to 1,000 in the first year and reach 13,000 teachers over five years. Over 300 teachers applied for the Partners in Learning PD program on the first day of the conference. This represented over half the attendees.

1. Microsoft starts education partnership
    This article reports that Microsoft has kicked off the first of its Partners in Learning programs in Perth. The program is aimed at supporting a number of ICT educational projects throughout Australia, aimed at increasing teachers' knowledge of and ability to teach ICT. Computer Daily News, 09/24/04, Page 3, Journalist: David Frith

2. Windows of opportunity for teachers
    WA teachers were the first to take part in a professional development course funded by Microsoft Australia, which will see 13,000 teachers trained in information and communications technology. About 700 teachers from around the state were at the launch of the Partners in Learning program in Perth yesterday. The program will see Microsoft spend more than $10 million in Australia over five years. West Australian, 09/24/04, Page 17, Journalist: Not Specified

    Collaboration Between NVS and Microsoft India Partners in Learning
    Microsoft India, under the aegis of Partners in Learning (Grants), and in association with Navodaya VIdyalaya Samiti (NVS) launched Project Shiksha in JNV Panchawati, Andaman to train teachers on integrating IT technology with their skills to better their vocation. A function was organized to inaugurate the program at the school premises. Mr. S.V Krishna Executive Engineer of Electricity Board chaired the function along with Dr. Bangarusamy - Principal, Mr. M S Tripathy - DOE and other Govt. officials. They were all extremely appreciative and thankful to Microsoft for providing the island teachers an opportunity to learn the latest technologies and commented that nobody had reached the island before to conduct such training and they hoped it would continue. The training was commenced for teachers from 33 schools across the island. The event was also covered by AIR Andaman, News time, The Daily Telegrams and a local TV channel.

Partners in Learning MOU Signed Between Microsoft Russia and the State Agency on Education

    Russia officially joined the "Partners in Learning" worldwide initiative by signing the MOU with the MOE of Russia on September 29, 2004. Andrei Fursenko, Russian Federation Minister of Education and Science stated that "the agreement we have signed lays a firm foundation for the process of introducing innovative technologies in the education system." He particularly emphasized that he found it "doubly pleasant, to be involved in cooperation with a company like Microsoft, which has earned such a good reputation in the IT sector."

    Majority of Partners in Learning Programs is covered by the signed MOU:

• Microsoft Innovative Teachers Network roll out
• Fresh Start for donated PCs
• Microsoft IT Academy
• Curricula development
• Teachers' trainings and competitions
• Education Support Centers roll out
• Approbation of [just localized] Class Server for Russian schools
• Testing and approbation of VB .Net Russian
• Development of methodology support on how to use ICT in schools

The Israel Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports Signed a School Agreement for all K-12 Schools

    As part of its extensive program for the promotion of the technological array of the entire Israeli education system, the Israel Ministry of Education (MOE), Culture and Sports decided to operate in three predominant channels:
    1. infrastructure in education
    2. licensing for the entire system that can enable the Ministry of Education to offer differential assistance according to the socioeconomic status of the school and the authority; and
    3. a comprehensive training and development program for teachers and students in the education system.
After 18 months of joint work, Microsoft Israel and the MOE finalized a 5-year School Agreement, which was signed on September 1, 2004. The Agreement covers Windows UPG, Office Pro, Class Server CAL, Core CAL and two additional products to be selected out of a four-product offering: Visio Pro, Project Pro, Front Page, and Visual Studio.

    Under the Agreement, the MOE enables each school to choose the additional products based on the school's curriculum, in addition to the basic software, which are essential in every school. The Agreement also includes development of and investment in the infrastructure of the Israeli education system in order to reduce development, operation and maintenance costs that are incurred due to the variety of available software versions. More importantly, the Agreement will allow for standardization among all schools in terms of both the level of the curriculum and the level of the school's licensing needs with regard to the training of the teachers, staff and students. In addition, the MOE signed a Partners in Learning agreement for the development of curriculums and training for teachers and students, with the aim of creating more solid technological and human capital in the State of Israel. The entire process was led by Microsoft Israel's Education Program Manager based on a broader strategic perspective and was helped by the good relations held with senior figures in the education systems.