[Fsf-friends] Free Software & Schools of Kerala

[Vivek Varghese Cherian]

On Sun, Mar 20, 2005 at 02:05:39PM +0530, Arun M wrote:
>>>Dear Friends,
>>>
>>>  Many of you would be aware of controversies relating to use of
>>>  proprietary softwares in schools of Kerala. Teachers unions, free
>>>  software community and political leaders in Kerala worked against
>>>  government policies favoring  proprietary software companies like MS
>>>in
>>>  School IT Education. We saw public debates on initiatives like
>>>  Microsoft Project Shiksha. Here in Kerala, Free software is no 
>>>  longer an issue of Software Developers and Users. 
>>>
>>>  Today Kerala Government seems to have decided not to
>>>  provide training on proprietary software(with its resources).
>>>IT@School has
>>>  started efforts to provide teacher training on GNU/Linux (IT@School
>>>  is a small wing under Dept of Education, Govt of Kerala which is
>>>  looking after IT Education in schools). First batch training is
>>>  expected to start by 31st of this month.  
>>>
>>>  While IT@School is going forwards with their formal channels of
>>>  operations in providing teacher training and support , we feel that
>>>  it is necessary to have an informal network which will complement
>>>  official efforts. This kind of formal and informal system is in
>>>  tune with culture of free software  movement. 
>>>  (GNU is a social project -- RMS)
>>>
>>>  To establish informal network we are organising a state level
>>>  meeting on 2nd of April in Cochin. Teachers and free software
>>>  community volunteers from every district of Kerala are expected to
>>>  participate in the meeting. District level action groups will be
>>>  formed in the meeting. We would also like to chart out action plans to
>>>  migrate all schools in Kerala to free software in next couple of
>>>years. 
>>>  Starting with 8th Standard this year. 
>>>
>>>  I would like to request all free software activists from Kerala to
>>>  make yourself available for this meeting and contribute to the
>>>  initiative. 
>>>
>>>
>>>Thanking You,
>>>Arun.
>>>
>>>
>>>Venue: Shikshak Sadan, near Ernakulam South Railway station. 
>>>Time : 10 am - 3.30 pm 
>>>
>>>Please mail me offlist if you would like to join or need more
>>>information.
>>>

I'll be there for the meeting. I can co-ordinate the work in the
Ernakulam district level action group till July. After July i'll be
free to work in the other districts of Kerala.  

-- 
 Vivek Varghese Cherian            
 Free as in Freedom <www.gnu.org>