BT has launched a joint initiative with UNICEF which will bring modern technology to schools in poor rural areas of China to improve access to high quality education.

BT is investing 500,000 (RMB5 million) to benefit up to 6,000 students and 1,700 teachers across four provinces - Qinghai, Ningxia, Yunnan and Jiangxi - where there are high-levels of digital exclusion.

Computers, internet access, multi-media projectors and other educational materials will be provided in up to 40 rural schools which are under-resourced and have severely limited access to modern teaching aids and equipment.  The initiative announced today aims to help children in these schools gain access to this kind of technology for the first time.

The initiative represents the third phase of BT and UNICEFs Inspiring Young Minds programme, a 1.5 million global development partnership designed to bring education, technology and communication skills to children from disadvantaged backgrounds in South Africa, Brazil and China.

The project has been jointly designed by UNICEF and the Chinese Ministry of Education who will work closely to develop this programme into a replicable and sustainable model which could be expanded to other schools.

Activities supported by BT will include establishing an online learning community to enable teachers to explore information from the internet, to learn from each other and to share teaching resources. Training in computer skills and how to develop innovative teaching methods using information technology will be provided to 40 per cent of teachers in project schools.

Kevin Taylor, Chief Operating Officer for BT Asia Pacific said: Communications skills and technology can give individuals and communities everywhere the opportunity to improve lives and take part in the global economy.  At BT we are committed to developing solutions that benefit society while supporting long-term growth. China is a key geography for BT and we are delighted to be working with UNICEF in Western China, as well as in Brazil and South Africa, to help disadvantaged communities reap the benefits of technology innovation.

Yin Yin Nwe, UNICEF Representative in China, said: Access to technology and quality teaching resources is limited in many rural schools in China. While gains are being made in access to education, the quality of learning and teaching lags behind in remote rural schools. With BTs support, this project will bring 21st century technology to disadvantaged schools, enabling thousands of students and their teachers to share high quality educational resources and to develop new skills. This will help to raise the overall quality of education in rural schools, giving more children a better start in life.