As part of the IMDA Digital Inclusion Festival 2019 which took place from July 26 to July 28, Minister for Communications and Information Mr S Iswaran announced six digital readiness (DR) initiatives that are to be implemented.
These initiatives include digital skills training for special needs students and senior citizens, providing a platform for content creators, and a Digital Participation Pledge (DPP) Awards for organisations which have contributed to the digital readiness movement.
Special needs students gaining digital skills
In an earlier OpenGov article, we reported how more than 700 students from four special needs schools are to get digital skills training in the following year.
Students from the Association for Persons with Special Needs (APSN) Delta Senior School, APSN Tanglin School, Grace Orchard School, and Metta School will be taught skills such as:
- How to search for information over the internet
- Make e-payments
- Use e-mail
- Chat online in their daily lessons
The implementation of this programme is a result of the positive feedback received from a pilot programme earlier this year. The students will learn how to use their SingPass accounts and access government services as part of this programme.
Infocomm Media and Development Authority (IMDA) and ASPN Tanglin School will also be collaborating on a Cyber-wellness Adventure Virtual Reality (VR) game. The aims of this game are to teach students of the different practices for improving cyber hygiene and of the importance of it. Students will be taught skills such as setting secure passwords, picking out fake news, dealing with cyberbullying and gaining awareness on the ethical consequences of their digital footprint.
Digitally ready seniors
A six-month-long programme introduced in June this year to provide digital skills training for seniors. TOUCH Cyber Wellness, Facebook and IMDA collaborated on this programme. This pilot programme will be made available to senior in English, Mandarin and local dialects. The outreach for the programme was aimed at 240 seniors.
Support for independent content creators
As part of an initiative for providing a platform for content creators, IMDA will be assisting media agency CreativesAtWork to provide this new initiative, “STOREYS”. Content creators are provided with the theme: “Framing a Better Home” around which they will be creating stories which will generate a positive social impact. Under this theme, creators can work under these categories to create their stories: Community, Elderly, Environment, Family, Underprivileged and Youth.
IMDA will also be providing the content creators with six-month access to PIXEL’s co-working space and production facilities- video and audio studios, film production equipment and editing software.
“The digital economy offers many opportunities and benefits to Singaporeans. All segments of society will need to be equipped with the skills to use digital technologies, and the knowledge to better their lives and safeguard themselves from risks. It is heartening to see the strong support by the people, private and public sectors, working together to bring Singapore’s Digital Readiness Blueprint to life,” said Ms Koh Li-Na, Assistant Chief Executive, Digital Readiness Cluster, IMDA.