Supreme Council of Information and Communication Technology ICT-Qatar and Supreme Council for Family Affairs announced the creation of opportunities for free of charge training for Qatari women in the international license for computer driving program. These training courses are available to Qatari women who are over 18 years old and who look forward to improving their computer skills, and they can apply to SCFA to attend these programs which starts in January 2008. Specialized training centers in computer teaching in Doha and Khore will undertake conducting these programs in classes for women only during the morning and evening periods as fits the participants

Ms Noor Al-Maliky, Head of Woman Department in SCFA confirmed saying: “Enhancing women’s skills in the communication and information technology area provides women with immense capabilities to communicate, contact, express themselves and interact with the family and the community.” She pointed out saying: “Training makes women acquire special skills in addition to the availability of governmental services and business services in the internet, and through this training women are enabled to deal with the information concerning health, education and electronic business services.”

On her part, Dr Ghada Faqeeh, Electronic Education Director in the ICT-Qatar stated : “The efforts and ICT-Qatar and SCFA have been united to assist Qatari women to acquire computer skills so that they can achieve their aims. What with the growing impact of communication and information technology on all the aspects our lives, the international license of computer driving enables Qatari women to enrich their lives through enhancing their personal and professional skills.”

Besides increasing women’s ability to use the computer programs widely used in education, business and charity, SCFA deems that computer skills are a potent means which contributes to promoting women’s involvement socially, economically and politically

It suffices to say that the international computer driving license is an international initiative aiming at eliminating computer illiteracy, and it is designed to make available the basic skills of computer so that learners are able to use a group of programs such as internet explorer and Microsoft programs. The accreditation enjoyed by the international computer driving license means that the graduates are able to display their capabilities of internet knowledge and skills in accordance with international standards

The international computer driving license program is considered a part of the electronic education initiative launched by ICT-Qatar which endeavors to develop and eliminate illiteracy of communication and information technology in the State

It is also possible to tailor the program to fit all levels. The program will be accomplished within a period that ranges between 50 to 100 teaching hours according to the participants’ efficiency in computer using

Application forms to the international computer driving license are available in SCFA headquarters or through SCFA website: www.scfa.gov.qa