ICDL GCC Foundation prepares to rollout e-Citizen skills certification during GITEX Dubai 2005

A number of leading international ICDL content partners and vendors will showcase their latest ICDL-approved products and their solutions for the e-Citizen programme at the Foundation's impressive stand number H8-1 in Hall-8 at the exhibition.

The ICDL e-Citizen programme is aimed at expediting the spread of use of computers and Internet among people in the region and equipping more members of the society with basic IT skills that could help them in their daily lives, The e-Citizen programme empowers the people with the required skills to use their government e-Services, as well as other online services offered in their countries, which might include e-banking, e-shopping, e-booking of hotels and travel. The programme also builds on enabling users to surf the Internet for special interest to search for jobs, events, real-estate, etc.

ICDL GCC Foundation is working closely with various government authorities in the region to implement the e-Citizen programme. The training material will be customized to meet the specific requirements of each country to reflect the e-Government services and other online services offered in each country.

Jamil Ezzo, Director General, ICDL GCC Foundation, said: "As the world moves towards a digital society, acquiring IT skills has become as essential as reading and writing. The e-citizen programme seeks to enhance IT literacy in the region by providing basic computer skills, thereby facilitating the active involvement of the populace in various e-initiatives to improve quality of life within our society."

To promote the e-Citizen programme, ICDL GCC will introduce a point reward system, whereby citizens will gain points each time they transact online. These points will be redeemable for free travel, hotel stay, restaurant meals, etc.

A host of prominent ICDL content providers, including Arab Scientific Publishers (Sybext), CIA Training, Element K Middle East, Humansoft (Thomson NETg and Thomson Course Technology), NCC Education, Regional Center for Development of Educational Software (ReDSOFT), Universal Knowledge Solutions (Teknical), will be present at the ICDL GCC Foundation stand at GITEX Dubai 2005, showcasing their latest ICDL solutions.

"The presence of leading international vendors at the ICDL GCC Foundation stand is a testimony to the success achieved by the ICDL certification programme in the region," Ezzo said. "GITEX 2005 has a strategic importance to ICDL, as it allows us an opportunity to explain to the visitors the benefits of the ICDL certifications and update visiting policymakers, within the GCC government and education sectors, on the progress the ICDL programme have achieved in the region."