Goa signs deal with Google India to promote digital literacy

The Goa government on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding with Google India to promote digital literacy and drive the digital transformation in the state.

Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar and Vice President, Google South East Asia and India Rajan Anandan signed the MoU here.

“As a first step, the Goa government will launch internet safety education for students in association with Google India,” Parsekar said. It will be a part of curriculum for classes 9th to 12th in the government schools.

“Google has created a curriculum in consultation with experts. Google India has initiated teacher trainings and it will soon expand to cover 460 schools, teaching over 80,000 students how to stay safe online,” Parsekar said.

The scope of this tie-up with Google will be expanded to launch a digital literacy drive for women and introduce programmes to help the small and medium businesses and a mobile app development skilling programme for start-ups, he said.

“This step will be a turning point in the field of information technology in Goa. It’s important that students understand how to use the internet responsibly and stay safe online,” he said.

Anandan said Google was committed to invest in India’s digital transformation.

A senior government official told reporters later that the MoU also envisages collaboration with Google to make all the government sites mobile-friendly and introduce programmes to help the small and medium businesses stay safe online.