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Azerbaijan launches long-awaited People’s Computer Project

10 April 2009 16:37 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Ainur Veliyeva - APA-Economics. Azerbaijanâ€™s Minister of Communications and Information Technologies Ali Abbasov, Minister of Education Misir Mardanov, HP officer for Azerbaijan Rufat Hajialibayov and Microsoft-Azerbaijan general manager Teymur Akhundov came together in a solemn signing ceremony for the People’s Computer Project.

The main objectives of the People’s Computer Project are the promotion of intellectual labor, training, knowledge-based economy, the promotion of the training focused on ICT, the development of e-government, support of education, intellectual property protection, the promotion of computer skills, support of low income brackets, enabling people to buy computers, bringing the number of computers to the world average etc.

According to Ali Abbasov, at the first phase a 4-month pilot project will be implemented and computers will only be offered for teachers in favorable terms.
In the future, the project will also cover other social groups (students, doctors, civil servants, etc.).
HP will offer mininote, laptops and desktop computers with all devices Microsoftâ€™s operating system and programmes installed.

This will be done through a School Agreement signed between the Ministry of Education and Microsoft.

Computers will be offered on non-interest bearing credit for 12 months.

The price of computers will be 25-40% below the market price.

Teachers buying a computer will be provided with electronic textbooks by the Ministry of Education, as well as 100-hour Internet card by Aztelecom and Baku Telephone Unit.

Delivery of computer and receipt of monthly payments will be carried out by Azerpost network.

The pilot project will be implemented by BestComp Group, a local partner of Azerpost, HP and Microsoft.

The overall project concept is fully compliant with a number of critical government programs, including the State Program for E-Azerbaijan and the State Program for Informatiation of the Education System.