Telecom Ministry, Intel Sign MoU Providing Lebanese Youth with Tablets

Telecommunications Minister Nicolas Sehnaoui signed Friday a memorandum of understanding with Vice President of Intel Corporation for Sales and Marketing Group and general manager of Intel "World Ahead" John Davies to provide Lebanese students with 3G-equipped tablet computers, a press release said Friday.

During a ceremony, Sehnaoui described the project as a “national initiative to set grounds for a new system that helps find educational solutions and launch new job opportunities. It opens new horizons for the Lebanese youth and students.”

He stressed: "We are trying to make the digital economy a mainstay of job creation and service export to place Lebanon at the crossroads of civilizations and religions, and a platform to attract international companies."

The memorandum was signed in the presence of Education Minister Hassan Diab in the Beirut Digital District.

The tablets will be sold at reduced prices and are equipped with academic content and strong security features. They have high-speed internet access for a period of two years, which allows parents to supervise their children's activities on the Internet, and provide them with the benefits of Web content.

For his part, Diab said that his ministry will donate 1,500 tablets to Lebanese students, adding: “The ministry concluded the final stages of the plan and it will be put into effect by November. We will present it before local and international donor bodies in a hope they would give a hand in the plan.”

Davies meanwhile said: “We aim to equip students in Lebanon with skills of the century to enable them to achieve success in the highly competitive global economy.”

The memorandum of understanding complements Intel “World Ahead,” as well as the corporate affairs programs, which saw the contribution of Intel in various education programs in Lebanon during the last ten years.

In 2005 Intel signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Education to launch the program "Intel Teach", a global program that helps teachers integrate technology effectively in their classrooms.

To facilitate the implementation of the memorandum, Intel will provide these computers in cooperation with(Triple C) company, a provider of Intel and Platinum Partner in Lebanon since 2001