INTERNATIONAL LITERACY INSTITUTE
8 September 2002
BFI-India Training Program begins in Andhra Pradesh
in conjunction with UN International Literacy Day
Hyderabad, 8 September 2002
INDIA
September 8, 2002
HYDERABAD, India -- In celebration of International Literacy Day,
the International Literacy Institute (ILI) and the Government of the
State of Andhra Pradesh began implementing an innovative technology-based
training and literacy program to meet the needs of thousands of illiterate
or low literate Indian adults and teens. The first phase of the Bridges
to the Future Initiative (BFI) was a four-day training for 30
literacy instructors.
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu with Professor Dan Wagner at the
International Literacy Day ceremony in Hyderabad.
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu presided over the United Nations
International Literacy Day celebration in Hyderabad and stressed "the
importance of utilizing technology to break the back of illiteracy
in Andhra Pradesh." Before an audience of nearly 2500 literacy
teachers and volunteers, Naidu praised the role of the International
Literacy Institute, established by UNESCO and based at the University
of Pennsylvania, in assisting Andhra Pradesh in launching the new
and innovative Bridges to the Future Initiative.
Professor
Dan Wagner at the International Literacy Day ceremony
In his remarks at the International Literacy Day ceremony, Professor
Dan Wagner, Director of the ILI and Professor of Education at the
University of Pennsylvania, stated that he was very pleased that Andhra
Pradesh was taking the lead in a global effort to employ "the
world’s best know-how to provide cost-effective methods to promote
second-chance education, as well as tele-centers that will be put
to service for the poorest of the poor." Wagner emphasized the
collaborative nature of the project, where governmental, non-governmental,
and private corporate institutions, as well as universities, join
forces to work toward universal literacy.
Secretary
of Education, Dr. I.V. Subbarao at the Bridges to the Future Initiative
opening training ceremony in Hyderabad
Secretary of Education, Dr. I. V. SubbaRao, who is heading up the
state’s role in the project also spoke at the ceremony, and underscored
the "key role of literacy in all the educational planning" of the State of Andhra Pradesh. He also accepted the honor of lighting
a traditional candle at the official opening of the BFI training program
in Hyderabad.
Banner
of school where the training was held.
The four-day training program was managed by SchoolNet India, a Bridges
to the Future Initiative partner, which provided expert trainers,
well-tested materials, and overall guidance. The goal of the training
was to help teachers learn how to better use technology, and how to
reach out to out-of-school youth and adults. About 30 teachers and
facilitators were involved in this training process.
Bridges
to the Future Initiative teacher trainees and facilitators.
About the Bridges to the Future Initiative
The Bridges to the Future Initiative seeks to bring the power
of technology to the poorest of the poor by developing community-based
learning sites and technology-based curriculum. Bridges to the Future
is funded by J.P. MorganChase, ICICI Bank, Hewlett-Packard, UNESCO,
UNICEF, and OECD in partnership with the Government of Andhra Pradesh.
For more information visit www.bridgestothefuture.org
or www.literacy.org.
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For more information, contact:
Dr. Dan Wagner, Director and Professor
International Literacy Institute
University of Pennsylvania
3910 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-3111 USA
tel: (general): 215-898-2100
tel: (direct): 215-898-9803
fax: 215-898-9804
email: wagner@literacy.upenn.edu
http://www.literacy.org/
