[Fsf-friends] Fwd: [fsug-calicut] IT at Schools, Kerala

[baiju m]

Forwarding...
<br>
<br>This mail is send by Ajith Kumar B.P (FSUG-Calicut)
<br>
<br>Regards,
<br>Baiju M
<br>
<br>
<br>---- Original message ----
<br>>
<br>> Hello,
<br>>      It was happy to know that IT is being included in the school
<br>> syllabus but it seems like it is turning out into a money making
<br>> venture for few by exploiting the poor students in the name of IT.
<br>> What I am writing is based on the follwoing information I received
<br>> 1.Government is planning to authorize some organizations to implement
<br>> the IT infrastructure at schools
<br>> 2. Government is collecting some fee from them
<br>> 3. These agencies will collect Rs.25 per month from each student. They
<br>> may subcontract it by collecting money.
<br>> 4. Five computers and a teacher will be arranged in each school in
<br>> return
<br>> If this is true, I think it is another ABKARI  SYSTEM in the making.
<br>> Auction the rights to those who pay maximum and give them a license to
<br>> !
exploit.
<br>> There is enough scope for curruption.
<br>> Schools will never have an infrastructure of their own.
<br>> Think of it and try to prevent it happening. Your help is highly
<br>> wanted.
<br>> HOW MUCH IT WILL COST ??
<br>> Schools need to teach the fundamentals, wordprocessing and programming
<br>> languages like LOGO, BASIC, C  etc.
<br>> GNU/Linux has all the tools required for it and are available free of
<br>> cost.
<br>> It also has the Terminal Server Software that allows you to run diskless
<br>> PC connected to one Server as graphics terminals.
<br>> You need only a P3 to run a server and will cost around Rs.35,000/- The
<br>> clients will cost around Rs. 13,000 each
<br>> (example configuration : Cyrix CPU + Intel810 motheroard + 64MB RAM  +
<br>> color monitor)
<br>> The networking of 10 machines using fast ethernet costs  around Rs.
<br>> 15,000/-
<br>> The total cost of having 10 + 1 systems comes out to be  180,000/-
<br>> 10 machines can handle 20!
 students at a time.  If you run six  batches a
<br>> day, 120 can be handled per day.
<br>> If the school has  1000 students, one student will get a practical
<br>> class once in every 8 days nearly and it is
<br>> reasonable.
<br>> If  you collect the Rs.25 per month for  10 months in advance from 800
<br>> students, that is Rs. 2 lakhs, more than
<br>> enough to set up 10 machines.
<br>> Remaining 200 will contribute Rs 5000/- per month and that is sufficient
<br>> to hire 2 PGDCA holders to handle the classes.
<br>> In a single year, the school will own the infrastructure.
<br>> If the number of students are less PTAs should be able to contribute
<br>> some money.
<br>> Over the coming years  the number of terminals can be increased by using
<br>> the subscription money.
<br>> This will gradually result in a better computer/student ratio.
<br>> In the ABAKARI STYLE system, it will be always 5 PCs for  all the
<br>> students.
<br>> ****************HOW TO IMPLEMENT IT. WHO!
 WILL SETUP THE
<br>> SYSTEM*********************
<br>> HARDWARE:
<br>> There is nothing new in the hardware. It is standard PC hardware except
<br>> that the Terminals do not have harddisk, CD or floppy drives.
<br>> Every district in kerala has vendors capable of doing it along with
<br>> networking.
<br>> SOFTWARE:
<br>>     The software setup need to be done only for one machine. Installing
<br>> a GNU/Linux distribution like RedHat ot Debian  talkes less than
<br>> one hour. Installing the Terminal Server and a host of other educational
<br>> software takes another hour.  ( These are not
<br>> imaginary figures. I have done it at several places, including one
<br>> schools in Delhi. Schools in Goa has done it with
<br>> the help of a group of volunteers) The only extra job is preparing boot
<br>> ROMS for the ethernet cards inside the Terminals.
<br>> Ther are people there who can do it.
<br>> CALL FOR ACTION
<br>> I request all  of you to approach schools in your local!
ity and  explain
<br>> them about these facts.  Help them to setup their own infrastructure.
<br>> Give no room for exploitation.
<br>> If anybody interested in taking up supporting the schools for such
<br>> setup, I can arrange him/her FREE  PRACTICAL TRAINING in installing
<br>> GNU/Linux,
<br>> Terminal Server and other  software required by schools.
<br>> ajith
<br>> ---------------------------------------------
<br>> FSUG-Calicut Home Page :
<br>> http://www.freelists.org/webpage/fsug-calicut
<br>> ---------------------------------------------

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