The first distance learning electronic courses for civil servants on information technology, communication and electronic governance took place on December 29, Info-Prim Neo reports. The courses have been prepared by a group of experts of the Support to Building E-Governance in Moldova Project implemented by the Government of Moldova with the support of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). The distance teaching of civil servants is a novelty in the Moldovan education system, said Antol Gremalschi, the head of the group of experts, quoted in a communiqué from the UNDP. According to Ion Cosuleanu, manager of the UNDP Building E-Governance in Moldova Project, the electronic courses are divided into basic and advanced modules. The participants in the courses can choose by themselves the modules/levels according to the requirements for the public post held and the initial preparedness level. The civil servants that will obtain a certain number of credits will receive a certificate showing that the holder knows the information and communication technologies. The level of knowledge is tested automatically, with the help of the computer, but the civil servants will obtain the National Computer Operation Certificate only after they take a test at a Certification Center. The first 37 electronic courses are already available on the website of the Academy of Public Administration (www.aap.gov.md ) Another 43 distance learning electronic courses for civil servants will be devised and published on the website next year.