Premier Lai Ching-te on Thursday directed the Ministry of Education (MOE) to integrate public and private resources in order to apply information and communications technology to bringing all people greater fulfillment in education, employment and daily living.
Premier Lai's remarks came after a presentation delivered to the Cabinet by the MOE on providing opportunity through technology and promoting the benefits of a digital, connected life. The initiative aims to use technology to create opportunity and provide assistance to a diverse range of groups, as well as imbed digital applications into the public's everyday lives.
As part of a project to provide widespread access to digital technology throughout Taiwan, said the premier, "digital opportunity centers" have been established in remote areas to enhance the ability of rural and otherwise technologically disadvantaged residents to make use of digital applications. Online study partners and tech-savvy volunteers are helping to create opportunities for local digital development and make commonplace the use of such technology among these communities, as well as protect their digital rights, with the ultimate goal of spreading the benefits of information and communications technology, and improving the overall quality of life.
The digital opportunity centers are essential, the premier said, as they provide venues for indigenous peoples, recent immigrants, agricultural workers, women, low-income residents, and the intellectually and physically challenged to learn internet skills.
Minister without Portfolio and Minister of the National Development Council (NDC) Chen Mei-ling said that it is important to note that in 2016 Taiwan slipped lower in the rankings of the World Economic Forum's Networked Readiness Index. Given this, Premier Lai ordered the NDC to continue providing necessary assistance to the central and local governments in the ongoing promotion of smart-tech government through such current efforts as the introduction of electronic documents and the digitalization of government services.