A significant change has started taking place in education sector by dint of successful promotion of digital technology benefiting teachers, students and others concerned in Rajshahi region.
Ripon Sheikh, a resident of Alupatty area in the city, has changed his fate through working in outsourcing. He said there are union digital centres (UDCs) at all 71 union parishads which facilitate digital information services to the grassroots people in the district.
There are 215 ICT labs, 261 multimedia classrooms and 219 ICT learning centres. The students are availing the scopes of acquiring ICT knowledge through e-book and information window.
Besides, there are digital content for multimedia classrooms benefiting both the teachers and students.
Abdur Rahman, a youth of the city, made himself successful by using digitisation process and has now become an icon in the field of freelancing and outsourcing by dint of his regular foreign currency earning around Tk 60,000 to 65,000 per month at present.
With his own earning, he has established an IT farm enriched with 30 computers and necessary accessories generating around 300 successful entrepreneurs. His capital now stands at Tk 1.44 million.
Rahman got chance of taking a two-month training on digital marketing last year. Learning and Earning Development Project (LEDP) under the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) division arranged the course.
Rahman said: “For the first time, I had got a two dollar work order for search engine optimisation”. So far, he has earned around 4,500 dollar. The training together with the first work order was his life’s turning point, he added.
Jakir Hossain, additional commissioner of Rajshahi division, said digital technology is one of the 10 initiatives of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina adding that 437 Sheikh Russel Digital Laboratories were established in order to boosting students’ empowerment through internet. More than seventy per cent classes are being held through multimedia in the division.
A total of 220 youths were imparted training on graphics design, digital marketing and web design and development making them competent to earn money through online outsourcing.
More than 1,300 entrepreneurs including 650 females are working in 563 UDCs and 91 PDCs in the division and their monthly earning is Tk 7,641 on an average and number of service-recipients is 248.
At least 2,000 youths are involved in freelancing and have became regular foreign currency earners through various digital works.
Freelancer Abdur Rahman suggested bringing all the under-graduation and post-graduation students under the ICT training so that they can avail the scope of becoming competent freelancer.
He adds importance should also be given to enhancing internet speed and reduction of its price for the sake of making the outsourcing more attractive and profitable, said a BSS report.
Prof Shamim Ahmed of Department of Computer Science and Engineering in Rajshahi University said the youth forces should come forward towards attaining IT knowledge to earn money from online outsourcing for making them economically self-reliant.
