" ITREALMS: ITAN partners Mandriva, 4 others on OSPC

Wednesday, July 02, 2008

ITAN partners Mandriva, 4 others on OSPC

Information Technology (Industry) Association of Nigeria (ITAN), has revealed its partnership with four major local Personal Computer assembly firms in the country alongside Mandriva West Africa for Mandriva Linux (ML) an Open Source Operating and Application software provider.

The four PC firms include Beta Computers, Brian, Omatek and Zinox Technologies.
ITAN president, Dr. Jimson Olufuye said weekend in Ogun State that the partnership is to boost the group’s Old Students’ Computer In School Initiative (OS-CISI) now branded “OSPC” i.e. Old Students’ Personal Computer.

According to him, the OSPCs are PCs, laptops, notebooks and thumbdrives engendered by old students in the government (Federal, States and Local), private sector and in all areas of national life for primary, secondary and post secondary schools throughout Nigeria.

He said that through the OS-CISI model, at least, one million OSPCs powered by ML and its suites of educational software projected to be deployed to primary, secondary and post secondary schools in Nigeria by the year 2015.

Dr. Olufuye further announced the accreditation of OSPC Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Gold Partners at the event.

These include Omatek Computers, Zinox Technologies, Brian Technologies and Beta Computers, explaining that the OEMs are certified to deliver the hardware powered by ML with embedded educational applications for Mathematics, Languages, Geography, Biology, Chemistry, Physics among others.

The following organizations and governments were also recognized as OS-CISI Strategic Partners in recognition of their support for the OSPC scheme: Centre for Information and Technology Systems (CITS), the University of Lagos; Yobe State Government, Ogun State Government, Kano State Government, Education Trust Fund, and ECOWAS Commission.

Responding, the Managing Director of Mandriva West Africa, Mr Dele Ajisomo, thanked ITAN for appointing ML as its Software Partner on the Project and assured of Mandriva’s full support and assistance throughout the OS- CISI project life cycle viz train-the-trainer training, research & development, technical and professional services through the Mandriva Academy that would be set up with ITAN’s Strategic/OEM Partners on the Project.

Mandriva, he said, is the publisher of the award winning and easy to use Mandriva Linux Desktop and Server products (operating system, Open Office, educational and financial applications, games etc. “Mandriva is one of the most popular Linux editions in the world with a global client base in excess of 7 million” Mr Ajisomo said.


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1 comment:

Unknown said...

Wow, this is indeed a great move in the right direction. I am particularly thrilled with the fact that my state Yobe state supports this program, i know what great things this program will produce from the state and the country as a whole, which is something I want to be involved in. Keep it up, more of such programs.

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