Old computers need not end up as scraps or be chucked away in the storeroom. For poor and needy students in Laos, they can made a huge difference in learning and open a new window to the world.

This was made possible with a contribution of 85 desktops and 15 laptops from Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) to ten Laotian primary schools under the Quality School Project.

Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Minister of Education, presented the computers to his Laotian counterpart, Prof Dr Somkot Mangnomek, during his visit to Nongbuathong Tai primary school in Vientiane today.

"I am happy that students from Ngee Ann Polytechnic worked together to contribute to the Quality School Project in Vientiane, Laos. The computers will open up many possibilities for the children, and make a difference in their learning. Through these projects too, our students are connected to communities in the region outside Singapore and will be able to understand and respond to their needs," said Mr Shanmugaratnam.

Using the computers, the schools are able to make English-learning more interesting and fun by incorporating interactive game-based activities.

A spokesman from Ngee Ann Polytechnic's corporate communciation tells AsiaOne that the computers "aren't new but in good working condition, which will meet the needs of the Laotian students."

Ngee Ann Polytechnic has been a regular participant in community service projects in Laos since November 2004, when staff and students from its Building and Environment Division embarked on a two-year project to build and retrofit a library and community centre in Phou Din Daeng village, Vang Viang.

The school will also be collaborating with the Institute of Technical Education, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, National University of Singapore and Singapore Buddhist Youth Society to build a library which is scheduled for opening later this year in June.

Other schools have also been participating in overseas community projects in Laos. During Mr Shanmugaratnam's trip, he visited the National Rehabilitation Centre where he met two teachers and 16 students from Bartley Secondary School. The students are part of the National Police Cadet Corps who are in Vientiane on a six-day volunteer mission to refurbish part of the NRC's hospital unit.