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NIIT bags $7 m Malaysian Smart Schools order

NIIT, the global IT solutions corporation, has bagged the prestigious $7 million order to develop multimedia learning software for Malaysian Smart Schools.

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This order makes NIIT the leading creator of educational multimedia software in the Smart Schools project in Malaysia.

NIIT will be creating the entire science curriculum for primary as well as secondary classes. The curriculum, to be created on the latest multimedia platform, will be complete with appropriate simulations and animation.

Rahul Patwardhan, head of NIIT's Asia-Pacific operations, said, "We are proud to have won this prestigious contract. With this project we are assuming a big responsibility of participating in the MSC's vision of shaping the next generation comprising technology savvy, creative and thinking citizens.

"We are committed towards enhancing the technology base of Malaysia by fully leveraging our expertise in creating educational multimedia software, training of diverse audiences in computers and systems integration," he claimed.

Giving details of the 25.76 million ringgit Malaysian order, Patwardhan said, "NIIT would develop over 500 hours of learning material that would include electronic courseware, teachers' guide and lesson plan from class IV onwards. Over 400 lessons would be created by a separate facility to be set up in New Delhi and Kuala Lumpur."

The Smart Schools project would be implemented in 90 schools in the pilot phase and would eventually be taken to around 8,000 schools in Malaysia.

The consortium is sourcing technology from three multinationals - NIIT, British Telecom and EDS. NIIT was awarded this order after a very rigorous and competitive selection process. NIIT's robust quality processes, expertise in executing large projects and synergies between its learning solutions and software solutions capabilities helped it bag this prestigious order.

The entire curriculum will be in Bahasa Melayu, the national language of Malaysia. NIIT will be working with Malaysian subject matter experts and language experts.

The first set of the learning material for students will be rolled out by March 2000. NIIT will also train master trainers in the use of its learning material who will in turn train schoolteachers.

Smart Schools is one of the seven flagship applications of the Malaysian Multimedia Super Corridor. This is a unique effort by the government of Malaysia that will usher the country into a new era of education.

The project will enable Malaysian school students to practise self-directed and self-paced learning.

NIIT in Malaysia

NIIT has made significant investments in its Malaysian operations since its entry into this country in the early Nineties. NIIT played an important support role in the setting up of the first virtual multimedia university in Malaysia - University Tun Abdul Razak.

Today over 2,000 students studying at UNITAR, utilise CD-ROM content developed by NIIT as the primary study material for their bachelor's degree programs in IT and management all over the country.

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