Intel is boosting for the availability of ICT in the merging market of schools and everywhere in < ?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />
Intel has developed the pilot near
Educomp aims to cater 10 mn e-learners
Educomp Solutions Ltd, the e-learning solutions company in India, is aiming to reach out to around 10 million learners through its products and services by 2008.
With specialisation in creation, management and delivery of learning content, Educomp is aiming to be among the top 10 learning solutions companies worldwide by 2010. The company, offering products and services to students and teachers in over 800 schools, is focussing on complete learning solutions to students with its 'K12' digital content library in English and eight regional languages in line with central and state level syllabus for schools.
The company having tie-ups with the Assam, Tamil Nadu and Delhi governments has initiated talks with the West Bengal government to implement bridging-the-digital-divide package in state government schools. The Rs.320-million company, with presence in 27 locations across country, is growing at over 60 percent annually. The company received $2.5 million funding from Carlyle Group, a leading US based private equity firm in 2000.
Job oriented IT training for visually challenged, India
Union Minister of Information and Communication Technologies, Government of India has announced job-oriented IT training programme for the visually handicapped. < ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
The training include orientation for jobs at call centres, Out of 20 schools selected for imparting training, half of them would be Tamil Nadu, and the rest in Delhi. Minister, Mr. Dayanidhi Maran speaking on the fourth anniversary celebrations of Nethrodaya, a self-help organisation for the visually impaired also inaugurated a browsing centre for the visually impaired, set up with the support of Sify Limited and Satyam Computers.
RISE Network launches DLP program for boosting e-learning
The RISE learning network has launched its new digital learning passport for educational institutes. This is a learning platform which enables users to manage their courses over different educational institutes. Illumina Digital Ltd, < ?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />
The DLP program will allow users to access a wide range of online support materials, which will include tutorial support, assignment setting course timetables, overview of the syllabi available and a comprehensive list of online courses and tutorials. The University for Industry and Careers Wales contributed to the platform by providing access of 150 e-learning courses as well as the tools and resources of the Careers Wales eProgress File. Careers
Futuremedia launches Video Channel for online education
Futuremedia announced the launching of its online educational video channel and learning community, named e-life. This new proprietary software will provide e learning content and online education to employees and their families.< ?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
According to the chief executive officer, Leonard M. Fertig, the company is focusing on media, technology and learning content. e-life will cover 300 topics and provide continuing education through the access to a portfolio and the compelling of learning material. This is a life-enhancing product which will bring education content into the home through the online digital technology. E-life members would be able to build the separate catalogues of learning courses in career skills, personal development, lifestyle and manage their courses through Futuremedia's proprietary Learning Management System. Currently there are more than 300 topics which will cover basic computing, family finance, garden design, information security for businesses, and DVD production.
Ambassador of the Swiss Confederation to open computer classroom
Andre von Graffenried, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Swiss Confederation to the Republic of Poland and Republic of Belarus will open a computer classroom in Chechersk School soon. The classroom was built up with the assistance of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) as part of the project “Information and Communication Technologies for Development in Chernobyl Contaminated Areas”.
The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation is a branch of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Swiss Confederation in charge of the international cooperation. Together with other federal institutions the SDC is responsible for the general coordination of actions in the field of development, cooperation with Eastern European countries, and also rendering of humanitarian aid.
The project “ICT for Development in Chernobyl Contaminated Areas” has been implemented in Gomel region since 2003. So far 11 schools of Bragin and Dobrush districts have been provided not only with computer equipment, but also with the Internet access. The Internet expenses are covered by the SDC. Students now have the opportunity to exchange information: within the framework of the project eight schools have developed own websites and update them regularly. Teachers of those schools completed their training at the Republican Center for Internet Education.
The aim of the SDC's project is to eliminate the actual digital divide between rural and urban areas and to offer children and adults, residents of the Chernobyl-affected regions, an opportunity to improve their life quality. In 2006 the SDC established cooperation with the Ministry of Communications and Informatization, Beltelecom and Svyazinforservis Co. The cooperating parties equip computer classrooms and provide the Internet connection for rural schools of Mogilev and Gomel regions. Beltelecom is supposed to provide the Internet connection using the xDSL technology. Svyazinforservis will undertake current Internet expenditures.
The opening of the classroom in Chechersk may be regarded as outgo to a new qualitative level: 15 schools of the Krasnopolye, Cherikov, Kostyukovichi, Bykhov, Slavgorod, Kormyany, Khoiniki, Vetka, Narovlya, Loev and Yelsk districts will be provided with the Internet connection by the end of 2006. An extensive training program for local teachers is planned in cooperation with the State Center for Internet Education.
Bringing impact to rural education in Malaysia
The Education Ministry in Malaysia being aware of the education divide between the schools in the rural areas and towns is now embarking on high impact projects to bridge the divide. The ministry is giving priority to improve education outside towns under the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP) in a comprehensive manner from pre-school to higher education.
Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein revealed that up to September 2006, there were 767 primary and 28 secondary schools without 24 hours electricity supply and 1,517 primary and 68 secondary schools without connected water supply. Under the 9MP, the ministry is hoping to supply higher voltage generator capable of supplying 30-35KVa and also the solar power equipment and set up mini dams to ensure the implementation of ICT initiatives.
These high impact projects would be implemented in the first three years of the 9MP. They are also an addition to the projects earmarked under the plan covering infrastructure, equipment, teachers, curriculum and support and assistance services. Through the high impact projects NITF would assist in ensuring the basic necessities like electricity made available 24 hours to 900 schools and clean water for 300 schools. About 2,600 primary and secondary schools also to be upgraded with enough classrooms, additional buildings and old buildings replaced.
NITF is also to assist in implementing the pre-school education in rural areas by setting up 2,400 pre-school classes complete with computer facilities that could benefit 61,000 children in the 5-6 years age group. Apart from that, the ministry would also enhance the rehabilitation classes in rural areas with the setting up of 5,000 classes to enhance the 3M capabilities, namely read, write and count. The ministry is also widening the vocational subjects in 480 schools in the rural areas to help the students who are not keen in the academic subjects. To ensure the welfare of the poor children are taken care, NITF will set side additional allocation for the Additional Food Plan (RMT) for the 550,000 poor students in rural areas.
Through the high impact projects, the number of students who fail to master the 3M in rural areas can be reduced and the percentage of those in the first year who have mastered the 3M can rise from 92.3 percent now to more than 95 percent. So is the number of students who need rehabilitation that can be reduced from 7.7 percent to less than 5 percent and the need for the Tuition Voucher Scheme (SBT) can be reduced from 100 percent to 80 percent after the 9MP. The dropout rates in rural schools could be reduced from 1.2 percent to less than 1.0 percent at the primary level and from 16.7 percent to less than 1.0 percent at the secondary level.
It is even hoped that the health of the rural students will further improve and the absent rates can be reduced further and the number of good teachers serving the rural areas will increase.
Intel
Soon, Craig R. Barrett, chairman of Intel and chairman of the United Nations of Global for Information and Communication Technologies is visiting
Dr. Barrett is visiting
