Illustrative image. (Photo: VNA)

The information was released at an event held by Qualcomm and the Dariu Foundation in Ha Noi on April 14 to review their collaboration on the Vietnam Forward program, which aims to advance digital literacy and competencies in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) among youth.

Vietnam Forward is a programme that provides students with access to Always On, Always Connected computers powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon® compute platforms and equipped with mobile LTE capabilities to ensure a continuous connection to the Internet with 4G/LTE.

Approximately 100,000 primary-level and secondary-level students at 80 rural schools have been equipped with the technical building blocks to develop workplace skills needed for economic self-sufficiency. Students are learning to code in class and with a code club membership, they take devices home to work on collaborative computer programming-based assignments.

The support has helped prevent disruption in students’ learning during the COVID-19 pandemic and contributed to the digital transformation process in Viet Nam’s education sector.

ST Liew, Vice President of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and President of Qualcomm's business in Taiwan and South East Asia, said, “At Qualcomm, we believe that providing access to wireless technologies can significantly improve people’s lives. This is particularly relevant in Viet Nam where we recognize the goals of advancing the country’s digital transformation and we see the role that we can play in doing so.”

The 'Internet Connection and Computers for Students' programme was launched on September 12 last year, when students in many localities had to switch to online learning due to social distancing measures triggered by spreading COVID-19.

The program aims to mobilise 1 million computers, and ensure mobile service coverage at all 283 points without mobile Internet connection in localities that are applying social distancing regulations, and 1,910 other places nationwide.