The Myanmar education authorities have urged the younger generation to attach much importance to computer literacy in order to keep up with the rapid changes in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector.

"While the education system is trying to move forward, students must keep in touch with the latest trends by using private ICT training centers which are vital knowledge providers," said an education official in a recent computer training course, according to this week's Myanmar Times.

Pointing out that most students acquired only a minimum level of the necessary skills during their education, the official urged school teachers and students' parents to encourage the children to make effective use of the ICT training centers to create a society that can face the challenge of knowledge age.

Myanmar's ICT sector has been making progress since the country introduced e-education system in early 2001 with two ICT parks in Yangon and Mandalay having been set up in the two following years to provide modern communication services in the country.

Meanwhile, Myanmar has also been launching an ICT development master plan under the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI), aimed at narrowing the development gap among the regional members.

Detailed programs to link international networks are also being carried out in accordance with the master plan drafted by the Myanmar Computer Federation (MCF).

Besides, work is well underway to systematically implement the tasks under e-ASEAN Framework Agreement (AFA) which calls for development of information infrastructure, emergence of e-commerce and e-government systems, lifting of restriction on ICT commodities, services and investment and increasing of them, and building of ICT capacity to create an e-society after reducing the digital divide among regional members.

Due to the move, Myanmar has been on a par with other regional members in terms of work progress, having launched e-visa, e-passport, e-government portal and e-procurement and contributing much to the effective management of government bodies.

Being a signatory to the e-AFA initiated at 2000 Singapore Summit, Myanmar has formed the e-National task Force to support the IT development.

Moreover, the country has also signed a series of memorandums of understanding in 2003 with companies from Malaysia, Thailand and an ASEAN organization on ICT development.

Source: Xinhua