Joint Award Ceremony and Achievement Exhibition of the Digital Movement in Rural Areas

MOE held the Joint Award Ceremony and Achievement Exhibition of the Digital Movement in Rural Areas on July 10th. Minister Without Portfolio of the Executive Yuan, Chang Jin-fu, and Minister of Education, Cheng Jei-cheng, attended the ceremony to praise outstanding teams and professionals dedicated to the Program of Creating Digital Opportunities for Rural Areas, and present current achievements.

Enterprises Generously Contribute

With the belief that no rural area could be left behind, MOE has worked for a long time to combine resources of the private sector, ministries, colleges and universities, as well as secondary and elementary schools for the needs of rural people's digital learning.

MOE has established 168 Digital Opportunity Centers (DOC) so far, assisting 457,000 people in using DOC computers. Volunteers at local centers have helped about 25,000 people, and resources sponsored by the private sector are valued at NT$430 million dollars.

Private organizations fully committed to promoting the digital movement include the Sayling Wen Cultural & Educational Foundation, Zhunxian Wu Cultural & Educational Foundation, Chinese Culture Foundation, Computer Skills Foundation, Chunghwa Telecom Corporation Ltd., IBM in Taiwan, Yinxiang Internet Technology Corporation Ltd., Happy 3 Seconds Math Corporation Ltd., Taiwan Heguan Information Corporation Ltd., AVerMedia Technologies Inc., and the Taiwan Order Furniture Corporation Ltd. These organizations sponsored DOC for the operation expenses, and provided online learning software related to students' schoolwork as well as computers, desks, and chairs. The amount of donations in 2009 from them currently totals to around NT$82 million dollars. This serves as a good example of cooperation between the government and the private sector in showing care for greater society.

College Volunteers Promote Community Care

In addition, approximately 100 Information Volunteer Teams composed of 2,000 energetic and active college volunteers were recruited each year. They served at secondary and elementary schools in rural areas, and helped promote community features of the DOCs and the application of information technology to provide more interactive learning opportunities for students in rural areas. At the same time, volunteers will also enhance their volunteer management skills, information application promotion skills, and cultivate their sense of service and community care.

Digital Opportunities Lighten Unlimited Hopes

The ceremony not only presented dynamic shows, but also static sharing of how the Program of Creating Digital Opportunities for Rural Areas managed DOC, information technology teams, and national computers. For instance, many families avoided generational gaps because they acquired computer skills, and some even started enterprises together; handicapped people found a new direction for their lives; traditional cultural crafts can be passed on through computer software.

The Digital Movement enabled rural areas to connect with the world via digital technology, and instilled artistic flavor as well as local humanity to rural areas. Let us work together to create a bright future for rural areas.