45,000 Kerala schools to benefit from Hi-Tech IT School project

A hi-tech school project that began as a pilot project in four assembly constituencies is all set to be introduced in the remaining 136 constituencies this week and will cover 45,000 state-run schools from Class 8 to 12.

"This project aims to make Kerala a fully digitalised state in education sector," said Minister for Education C. Raveendranath. The project was run on pilot basis in Alappuzha, Puthukad, Kozhikode North and Thaliparamba constituencies.

Raveendranath said the project envisages a comprehensive upgradation of various elements of classroom learning such as infrastructure, textbooks, learning materials, teachers training, handbooks, monitoring and evaluation, e-governance using ICT.

"Under this programme, all schools would be equipped with digital content besides the classrooms would be equipped with computers, multimedia projector, sound system and high speed internet connection which every student and teacher could make use of," said the college professor turned CPI-M politician.

In the first phase, ICT equipment would be deployed in these schools at the ratio of one computer lab for every 15 divisions.

Each lab would contain enough number of computers in the proportion of 3:1 so that all students in the division with maximum strength can use them at a time.

According to K. Anvar Sadath, executive director, IT School Project, the schools have to provide the basic facilities for setting up classrooms and computer labs to be made hi-tech.

"Schools can make use of various funding sources such as MP/MLA LAD (loal area development) funds, funds from local bodies, School PTA/SMC/Alumni, contributions from individuals and institutions etc., for ensuring the required infrastructure," said Sadath.

The support mechanisms include a team comprising of school IT coordinators and student school IT coordinators. These will be set up in each school.

"The IT coordinators in each school would be provided training to extend technical support for supplementing digital content development locally. Hardware clinics would be conducted at regular intervals to rectify the faulty computers and ICT equipment," said Sadath.

This programme would be closely monitored and evaluated by the panchayath-constituency-district-state level mission teams which would be formed as part of General Education Protection Mission.

--IANS

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