ADSEC's e-Citizen program continues to bridge the digital divide in 2015 by directly reaching out to citizens in line with e-Government's efforts to augment e-literacy

•    The program achieves remarkable growth with trainees amounting to 3190 males and females
•    E-Citizen has reached wide geographical areas within the capital, targeting all social segments including retirees, housewives, the elderly, job seekers and people with special needs

Abu Dhabi, UAE; 24 March, 2015: E-Citizen, the pioneering, digital awareness programme, launched in April 2012 by the Abu Dhabi Systems & Information Centre (ADSIC), the government entity responsible for the emirate’s ICT agenda, continues to achieve notable progress, expanding its trainee base of Emirati nationals of both genders across the three main areas that form the UAE capital.

An accredited training programme targeting Abu Dhabi residents who have extremely limited knowledge in computers, e-Citizen seeks to provide and improve the necessary ICT skills to a wide array of social segments, enabling them to operate a computer and use the internet. The programme promotes the elimination of electronic illiteracy, a key strategic objective for Abu Dhabi e-Government, by managing a group of effective educational programmes and initiatives, essentially aiming to boost the knowledge and skill levels of the e-Government’s customers and employees alike.

“E-Citizen has celebrated several major milestones since its initiation in 2012, and a large number of UAE nationals in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and the Western Region have been trained in the basics of computers and the internet and provided access to the required tools that allow them to keep up with the unravelling nature of digital life in the 21st century,” said HE Rashed Lahej Al Mansoori, ADSIC’s Director General.

“Through e-Citizen’s activities and work mechanism, ADSIC aims at spreading e-awareness, boosting citizens’ digital skills and enhancing e-participation in line with Abu Dhabi eGovernment’s continued efforts to promote e-literacy and support our wise leadership’s pursuit of sustainable economic and social prosperity on all levels,” added HE Al Mansoori.

Amal Al Tamimi, Director of Digital Knowledge Programmes at ADSIC, pointed out that ADSIC has always emphasised the importance of leveraging ICT in managing the course of our daily lives safely and productively, based on the fact that enabling people to use technology can save them so much time and effort.

“In line with Abu Dhabi e-Government’s endeavours, ADSIC’s e-Citizen programme has especially targeted the social segments that lack ICT skills and championed the process of facilitating their integration into the digital community. In addition to e-Citizen’s invaluable educational aspects, the programme has a significant social element which contributes to bridging the generation gap, considering that modern technology has become second nature to the young.

Complementing e-Citizen, ADSIC regularly introduces follow-up programmes to consolidate e-Citizen’s positive impact, continuity and enablement of the targeted social groups,” added Al Tamimi.

Through public-private partnerships, e-Citizen has trained more than 3000 people across all social components including retirees, housewives, the elderly, job seekers and people with special needs. In cooperation with the ICDL (International Computer Driving License) Foundation and its accredited training centres the UAE Academy, Centre of Excellence for Applied Research & Training and Abu Dhabi University, the government entities currently part of e-Citizen are the Family Development Foundation, Abu Dhabi Education Council, Zayed Higher Organization for Humanitarian Care & Special Needs (ZHO) and Abu Dhabi Retirement Pensions and Benefits Fund.

In 30 - 45 hours depending on the trainees’ needs, e-Citizen focuses on three main ICT elements primarily covering basic computer skills, the internet and how to search for information, as well as e-participation. Training has taken place far and wide across Abu Dhabi in Al Wathba, Al Shahama, Bein Al Jisrein, Al Ajban, Al Samha and Al Rahba in Abu Dhabi; Al Rumah, Al Waqen, Al Hair and Al Shuwaib in Al Ain and in Al Silaa, Al Ghayathi, Al Marfaa and Madinat Zayed in the Western Region.

Commenting on e-Citizen’s tanglible benefits, Sultan Ali Al Shamsi, a forty-six year old retiree and e-Citizen graduate, said: “I signed up for the program through the Family Development Foundation’s Ali Ain Centre because I wanted to keep pace with the digital era. Before enrolling in the e-Citizen programme, I had very little knowledge in computers and internet. However, I can now create Word documents and use the internet to pay my bills, tickets and book for travel. I am very glad that I completed the course and received the e-Citizen Certificate with a passing average of 86 per cent. It was a very enriching experience for me and my fellow retirees.”

Fatima Ali Musbeh Al Rumaithi, a housewife and an e-Citizen graduate who enrolled in the programme in 2015 through ZHO, said: “I knew nothing about computers before taking part in the program. I had dropped out of school when I was in second preparatory class, got married and became a mother to three children. Today, my grandchildren are university students and often discuss technology issues that I do not understand. However, I can now work on a computer, save files, transfer pictures and open my e-mail.”

Moza Alhai Hamad Al Hamli, a housewife who also joined e-Citizen through ZHO this year, said: “I have a mini kitchen project at home and I would like to learn how to work on computers so that I can sort out my orders and bookkeeping. Before e-Citizen I had absolutely no knowledge in computers; I only heard they made people’s lives easier. I greatly benefited from the program because now I can create files and use e-mail.”

The e-Citizen program offers its graduates an internationally accredited certificate by the ICDL Foundation after passing the final examination, enabling them to independently use computers and the internet.

ADSIC’s future plans for e-Citizen involve building on the great success it has achieved so far in expanding its digital awareness services. ADSIC has recently launched the “Social Media for All” program which aims at understanding the ever evolving social media world, gaining the necessary skills to use the opportunities it presents for self-development and highlighting the importance of secure and effective use of social media platforms.