Microsoft's Head of Education praises people-technology linkages by Gems Education

Mr Anoop Gupta, Corporate Vice President, Unlimited Potential Group, Education Product Group, Technology Policy and Strategy at Microsoft, who was on tour of Gems World Academy, said the Gems strategy of hiring the right professionals and supporting them with the latest technological advancements is a model for progressive education.

Commending the initiative of Gems Education to drive the quality of education by equipping classrooms with multimedia projects and broadband Internet connections and providing teachers with laptops, Mr Gupta said that interactive technology platforms are critical to strengthening the educational sector in the region.

Mr Gupta commented:

"Education is a universal aspiration and Gems schools fulfill the vision of meeting the educational needs of people. This is enabled by investing in the right people and technology. We are confidence in the scaling up plans of Gems Education."

"Software plus services, in addition to interactive hardware, such as wall displays have tremendous potential in taking the educational system forward while mobile devices facilitate any-time, anywhere learning. Mass media, including on-line tools and resources, are also part of the collective learning experience," he added.

Gems had recently invested Dhs20m in the latest information and communications technology. The investment ensures that students of all ages benefit from the latest teaching tools as they become available over the web. Gems is also committed to enhancing student engagement and motivation, while giving teaching staff greater flexibility to deliver the highest possible standard of education.

Mr Gupta's visit further builds on the partnerships between Gems Education and Microsoft which launched 'State-of-the-Art Education Solutions' across the network of Gems schools in the country. This initiative, launched late 2006, has enabled Gems to bring in the latest in technology platforms to strengthen its educational offering.

Mr Dino Varkey, Senior Director of Business Development at Gems Education, said:

"With a passion to ensure that the latest technologies are adopted, Gems is ideally positioned to implement Microsoft's vision for education. Initiatives such as the Learning Gateway and virtual school models provide access to technology-enabled, quality education for millions of students. We see tremendous synergies between the two organisations."

Mr Gupta is responsible for leading Microsoft's education efforts across the company and bringing to market education solutions in both developed and emerging markets. Microsoft supports the 'State-of-the-Art Education Solutions' initiative of Gems through Microsoft-certified training for teachers and the installation of Microsoft-certified ICT labs.