Microsoft pledges $235mn to region

Microsoft on Sunday pledged an additional $235 million to its regional Partners in Learning education initiative over the next five years.

Announced at the Microsoft Government Leaders Forum in Abu Dhabi, the investment brings the software manufacturer's total 10-year contribution to $500 million.

"Microsoft has always believed that education is the cornerstone of opportunity, and that investing in education is the best way to help young people achieve their potential," Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft, said in a written statement.

"Partners in Learning is one of the ways Microsoft works with governments and schools around the world to help teachers use technology in the classroom to make learning exciting and relevant for the 21st century."

Since its inception in 2003, the Partners in Learning programme has helped 90 million students, teachers and policy makers in 101 countries, Microsoft said.The company said the programme has helped Bahrain's Ministry of Education train 1,000 teachers in information communication technology skills who, in turn, went on to train another 10,000 more teachers over the past 5 years.

In Egypt, the Ministry of Education has partnered with the Partners in Learning programme to train more than 50,000 teachers, the company said.