This initiative is being organised by the Information Technology and Investments Ministry after it made an agreement with Microsoft to make this offer available to all 70,000 students in Malta as well as their teachers. The first offer of a software package at a very cheap price was made in 2003 and was taken up by 32,000 students.

Students can queue to register today at the site of the old Opera House in Valletta and at the Gozo Ministry in Victoria between 8.30am and 2pm. People with a disability will get their package free.

The software package includes four items:

Microsoft Office Pro Visual Studio.net, a specialised package which has had a very good take-up by colleges and businesses and which is being given away to encourage students to become more advanced in their knowledge of IT;

Encarta, the online reference library and Class Server, a package which can lead to the creation of a virtual class where students do their assignments online, send them to their teachers online, and receive them back when corrected and evaluated, have their assignments published and parents can keep constant contact with the teachers.

This initiative is part of the

government’s HelloIT strategy which aims to eliminate the digital divide by 2006 through reinforcing accessibility at an affordable price.

Those who register tomorrow can also register with MaltaNET and receive 10 hours of pay-per-use ADSL plus an additional 35 hours of pay-per-use ADSL when they purchase a Breeze starter kit.