Lao PDR, with a population of 5,218,000, is a small country in the Southeast Asia. Under the International Technical Exchange Cooperation Programme of Government of India, NIC has entered into an MoU on ICT Cooperation with Government of Lao PDR, according to which nine areas of cooperation are to be implemented with funding from Ministry of External Affairs. In the first phase, NIC has taken up implementation of first two project Components: • Setting up of ICT Training Lab • Capacity Building through Human Resource Development Minister of External Affairs, Mr. Natwar Singh inaugurated the State-of-the-Art ICT Training Lab, at Science, Technology and Environment Agency, Vientiane, in November 2004. At that time, the training of first batch of 30 Government Officials of Lao PDR was conducted by NIC. Following this, four more batches of 30 officials each, were imparted training in Office Productivity Tools. These training programmes were conducted by NIC during Jan 17-Feb 11, 2005.

Training Methodology and Feedback Imparting training to Lao PDR Officials had been an enjoyable and learning experience for NIC faculty. Participants appreciated the On-line Teaching methodology with parallel Hands-on Sessions. This has enabled them to learn the tools more effectively. Assignments given to participants have helped them to better understand the concepts. Participants showed keen interest in learning about ICT Tools and were quite sincere and regular despite an initial language barrier. Photo Caption: Certificate distribution ceremony Some of the compliments given by the participants are.... • Excellent Training, good practice session, nice support and good lecture. • A well planned training with good course material. • Thank you for your kindness to teach Lao People to know more about computers • Very good training for someone who does not know anything • It has trained me to use computers more effectively and efficiently • Training will help me in my Office work to manage the files in a better way, to communicate with people and for good presentation. • Training will help me to work in the areas, which I have not used before. • All the teachers very nice, patient to take care of the students. Although it is difficult to communicate but you try to make us understand clearly. Thank You! According to Vientiane Times, ”This Cooperation Programme will go a long way in strengthening the LAO PDR with respect to ushering in digital opportunities for economic growth, poverty reduction, employment generation, sustainable resource use, and managing globalization as Lao PDR is one amongst the Least Developed Countries (LDCs). This will be a step towards reducing poverty, managing globalization, and establishing an e-society in Lao PDR.”

For details, please mail to meenakshi.mahajan@nic.in