print:Venezuela orders one million low cost laptops for its school children | Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela |Axisoflogic.com

Hugo Chavez and Jose Socrates with Magellan notebook, AFP/Getty

President Chávez and José Socrates with Magellan Notebook. Venezuela will buy one million of the redesigned Classmate laptops

The Chávez administration will purchase one million laptop computers, especially designed for children as part of a $3 billion, bilateral trade agreement with Portugal. The trade deal also includes funding for housing and utilities. Portugal manufactures the blue and white laptops which are based on the Intel Classmate laptop.

The laptop is named, "Magalhaes"
(Magellan) and they utilize a low power Intel Atom chip especially designed for laptops. They also feature digital cameras and a broadband internet connection.

The laptops will also run on a version of Linux, consistent with Venezuela's gradual move away from Microsoft. This agreement between Venezuela and Portugal was signed in August, 2008. This is the largest deal yet involving the purchase of laptops that are especially designed for children.

The purchase is part of Venezuela's decade-long mission to place education at the forefront of the national agenda. Prior to the election of President Chavez in 1998, Venezuela had 1.5 million adults who were illiterate. In 2005, the nation became illiteracy-free through the work of Mission Robinson, one of the many missions dedicated to health care, dental care, sports training, subsidized food, housing, education (including free university education) and other social programs. Venezuelans benefit directly from their rich petroleum resources and the government's commitment to place the people at the head of the national agenda.

- Reported by Les Blough in Venezuela