[Fsf-friends] IT education in Kerala schools and GNU/LInux

[Mahesh T. Pai]

Sajith V K said on Sun, Aug 17, 2003 at 07:49:07PM +0530,:

 > From: Sajith V K <sajith_vk@hotmail.com>

Oops.

I  do not  intend to  play down  contributions and  efforts  of people
working for free  software in the IT@school project. I  am sorry if my
message conveyed anything of that sort.

 > The text book is divided in to two sections, Windows and GNU/Linux.

Which text book? VIIIth? IXth? Xth?

 > Its not a single memorandum which made the change. A lot of work by
 > several persons  is there behind the  change. A lot  of persons and
 > groups  have contributed  to  the effort,  the  memorandum by  FSUG
 > Cochin is one among them.

I fully  appreciate and  commend the efforts  and hard work  of people
working for implementing free software in the schools.  All I tried to
convey was that due to  opposition from authorities in the government,
this hard work people has yielded very little results.

This is what I said:-

    <quote>
    Given the  phenomenal resistance  from the establishment  to
    swatantra software, this much (sic - is) a great success.
    <unquote>

The memo is pointed only to provide our friends with some arguments in
favour of  Free Software  to be placed  before the authorities  at the
CBSE.   Formal writted  demands need  to  be backed  and supported  by
efforts from  individuals who  spread the gospel  of free  software so
that the CBSE can switch over to free software.

A good and sturdy  table has four legs. All the four  need to stand on
good ground. Right??? 

It will help the original poster if Mr Sajith shares his experience in
getting the authorities in Kerala consent to inclusion of GNU/Linux in
the text book.  This will from  the practical part of the job on hand.
Mr  Sajith has  done precisely  that, but  unfortunately his  reply is
couched in negative terms.

 > The concepts of free software is included in the text. Text book of
 > 8th  std have  two  "boxes"  dealing with  the  concept about  free
 > software, and  includes "boxes" about RMS and  Linus trovalds.  The
 > students are  asked to collect information about  free softwares as
 > the part of "activities"

(snip)

 > GIMP will be  included in 10th std text book. In  8th std Xpaint is
 > used for basic Graphic works.

(snip)
 
 > I too  agrees that our work  is not 100% success.  There are issues
 > yet to  address But in  the current situation  in kerala its  a big
 > success.

I believe that  the text book for VIIIth is  already published, and is
there for all  to see. There is no  point in having a war  of words on
contents of the text books. It  only diverts the subject matter of the
thread, which  is 'helping the CBSE  make a switch  over' to swatantra
software.

 > The IT text  book commitee members are most  pro towards GNU/Linux.

(snip)
 
 > Don't simply critisice them without considering actual facts.

I quoted from my posted above.
 
The memo is pointed only to provide our friends with some points to be
placed before the CBSE authorities.  Formal written demands need to be
backed and supported by efforts from individuals who spread the gospel
of free software so that the CBSE can switch over to free software.

This what the original message said:-

     <quote>I am looking for people who will help in pressurising
     CBSE and AICTE to change the syllabus to generic applications
     viz Learn a spreadsheet NOT SPECIFICALLY M$ EXCEL and so on.
     <unquote>

The post wanted help to change  the *syllabus*. He was not looking for
help for a swatantra implementation of a non-free syllabus.  I believe
that The CBSE does not  insist on proprietary software and permits use
of free software by schools.  But, the permission is tacit, nothing in
writing. I  remember reading somewhere  that people at Delhi  LUG were
instrumental in that  part. People at GSCP, Goa,  have been successful
in  getting similar assurances  (viz.  non-free  in syllabus,  free in
practise) from the educational authorities of Goa.

Our friend was asking for more.  That requires a very formal approach.
Efforts by  Mr.  Sajith and  his friends, while  certainly significant
and   important,  are   based  on   tacit  and   silent   approval  of
authorities. If  somebody takes up  the issue, the Government  will be
forced to  withdraw the  text books created  by the  present committee
because they do not conform to the syllabus. 

Or has the Govt. of Kerala changed the syllabus?
 
-- 
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~+
                                          
  Mahesh T. Pai, LL.M.,                   
  'NANDINI', S. R. M. Road,               
  Ernakulam, Cochin-682018,               
  Kerala, India.                          
                                          
  http://in.geocities.com/paivakil         
                                          
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~+