National employees to get computer training

Dubai Ruler's Court has ordered Dubai public departments to draw up plans with immediate effect to provide computer training for their national employees for the purpose of obtaining the International Computer Driving License (ICDL).

The circular issued by the Court to public departments was based on an initiative by the Dubai Government which aims to employ information technology for overall development.

The order was also in response to the directives of His Highness Shaikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and UAE Minister of Defence.

The circular states that the initiative must be implemented by all departments without exception. The deadline for implementation is July 2007.

Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid has ordered to provide all facilities for national public servants to enroll in the project.

He also instructed public departments to coordinate with Shaikh Mohammad's Information Technology Education Project (ITEP), which will supervise implementation of the training programme.

Dr Abdullah Al Karam, Director of the ITEP, said the project will enhance performance of public employees. He said the ICDL programme will offer training for 12,000 public official in two years.

The ITEP will submit a quarterly report to Dubai Executive Council to monitor progress of the project.