Microsoft founder Bill Gates has said he would help Indonesian students obtain free software and inexpensive personal computers to gain greater access to the Internet.
During the Thursday's meeting here with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Gates expressed his commitment to supporting the government's efforts to improve education quality by providing Internet-based national education, local newspaper The Jakarta Post reported Friday.
"He told the President that Microsoft will continue to train teachers and students throughout Indonesia in software, computer and information and communication technology," Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Aburizal Bakrie was quoted as saying.
Yudhoyono told Gates that Indonesia and Microsoft should continue to work together as the cooperation would mutually benefit both parties.
The government is seeking to obtain software from Microsoft for a million computers for educational purposes in an effort to cut the ratio of computers to students from the current 1:1000 to 1:20,Aburizal said.
Gates said he was ready to help Indonesia get high-quality personal computers for a price of less than 200 U.S. dollars per unit, plus free software if Indonesia could make a deal with Intel chairman Craig Barrett, who will meet Yudhoyono in Jakarta next week.
"We will make a deal with Barrett to acquire cheap or even free processors for the computers to be distributed to the students. As a result, we will get a much lower price than 200 dollars," Minister of Communication and Information Muhammad Nuh said.
He expressed optimism that Indonesia could strike a deal with Barrett, who is known as a leading advocate for education improvement in the United States and around the world, and a vocal spokesman for the value of technology.
Source:Xinhua
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