Designated officials can now receive RTI training online

RTI designated officials will now be able to receive training online, according to Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam. The online training for the Right to Information Act (RTI) 2009 will be available on the Information Commission’s website, Shafiul informed reporters after the training programme was launched at the Secretariat’s Cabinet room on Tuesday. The duration of the online training will be 2 hours 22 minutes and must be completed within 15 days from the registration date. However, a trainee will only be able to log in a maximum of five times to complete the training. After completion, the trainee will be awarded a certificate by the Information Commission. Shafiul explained: “This is the first time ever that the government has launched an online training module and through this, RTI designated officers can easily train themselves from home.” At the meeting, Chief Information Commissioner Prof Golam Rahman said: “We have a culture of not disclosing information but such online trainings will bring changes among the officials concerned, training them that it is his or her duty to provide information to citizens.” To enhance the knowledge base of the RTI designated officials, Management and Resources Development Initiative (MRDI) worked under the Information Commission to develop the online training module. The initiative was undertaken with support from the World Bank. Nazrul Islam, full time member of National Human Rights Commission, Martuza Ahmed, secretary of Information Ministry and information commissioners Nepal Chandra Sarker and Prof Khurshida Begum Sayeed were present at the ceremony, among others.