BUCHANAN, Grand Bassa – The Liberia Institute of Public Administration regional office in Buchanan will soon start offering courses from the International Computer Driving License, the world’s leading computer skills certification program.

ICDL programs are available in 150 countries and translated into 38 languages with more than 7 million candidates and more than 20,000 test centers worldwide.

According to the head of LIPA’s regional office in Buchanan, Jefferson Bate, the courses have been endorsed by governments and major corporations around the world.

He said the courses were first offered in Liberia 2007 by the United Nations Mission in Liberia’s Integrated Mission Training Center as a training and certification center for UNMIL staff only at the time.

Since then, he said 275 former UNMIL international and local staff were trained and certificated in Liberia. Additionally, there are two certified trainers and one examiner already in Liberia.

Bate noted that the program contains eight basic and advanced modules. Courses under basic module include computer essential, online essential, word processing and spreadsheet, while the advanced module contains database, presentation, and information technology security among other modules.

He added that the courses last for four to eight months and have no academic requirements compared to other coursework offered at LIPA which require a first degree.

Bate hopes the introduction of these computer literacy courses would be useful for individuals seeking internationally recognized certificates to qualify them for jobs around the world.

“People in this region have begun signing up for the International Computer Driving License courses already,” he said. “So, we are doing everything possible to include the course among our many courses this year. This is an opportunity for Liberians because it is not offered anywhere in Liberia for now since UNMIL left.”

Featured photo courtesy of Penn State