UNETE is a non-profit organization that coordinates efforts to assist the improvement of education by the use of technology, providing computers, Internet facilities and educational television to public elementary and junior high schools.
Created in 1999, UNETE developed a method that involves businessmen, the community, federal and state governments, in addition to schools and parents, in order to provide Media Classrooms to these schools and to benefit thousands of children all over the country.
Since it set up operations in Mexico 14 years ago, Microsoft had always shown a strong commitment to education and to providing technology to all sectors, said Felipe Sanchez-Romero, General Manager of Microsoft Mexico. UNETE has created one of the most important vehicles to reduce the digital divide in our country, therefore, we have decided to make our contribution so that thousands of children have the opportunity to be in touch with new ways of learning using the world’s most advanced and popular technology, he added in a company statement.
Thanks to the generous support of our donors, we have been able to equip 370 schools with Media Classrooms, which means that we have provided the benefits of computers, Internet and education television to 140 thousand children in the country, explained Claudio X. Gonzalez, Chairman of the UNETE Foundation.
Microsoft’s donation consists of providing UNETE with all the software necessary for 500 Media Classrooms. The computers will run in the Windows 2000 platform, using Office 2000, Encarta 2000. Schools will also be given other servers and development tools for this project.
Rafael Fernandez, Director of UNETE, stated that the target is to provide equal education opportunities in the country and considered that we are on the right track. Fernandez said that in spite of this, it is important to continue generating awareness of the need to support this effort and that it undertakes a crusade to incorporate new technology into basic education.
The International Community Affairs Manager for Microsoft Corporation, Joanna Demirian, also attended the signing of the agreement, where she conveyed her enthusiasm for the impact this program will have on Mexican children and for the support that UNETE is bringing together from various players in the community.
It is great to know that Microsoft’s contribution will give thousands of Mexican children the opportunity to come into contact with new technology and new ways of learning. This will provide an increasing number of opportunities for their personal development, she stated.
