The Hindu Business Line : Networked system should provide quality education: Kalam

The President, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, with the Information and Technology Minister, Mr Dayanidhi Maran, and Mr K.K. Jaswal, Secretary, Department of Information Technology, at the presentation of computer literacy excellence awards for schools in the Capital on Wednesday. — Kamal Narang

New Delhi , Aug 4

IDENTIFYING connectivity, tele-education system and quality content as essential components of a viable distance education programme, the President, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, has said that an integrated networked system comprising the upcoming Educational Satellite (EDUSAT), along with broadband and wireless networks, should provide a highway for offering quality education across the country.

"A three-pronged approach is essential to make distance education programme viable and a successful proposition through the universal tele-education system to remote parts of the country.

"The three components may be connectivity, tele-education system and the quality content generation and deployment," Dr Kalam said while addressing the 2nd Computer Literacy Excellence Awards for Schools 2003 on Wednesday.

So far as connectivity is concerned, he said, EDUSAT - to be launched shortly by ISRO - is expected to provide 1.5 lakh ground terminals in its full capacity.

"The other parts of the country have to be covered by providing broadband and wireless communication network in an integrated fashion. Terrestrial optical communication is becoming cost-effective and can complement the space communication with its low-cost, high bandwidth and networking capability. "An integrated networked system comprising EDUSAT, broadband and wireless networks should provide a highway for reaching quality education to all parts of the country," he said.

Stressing the importance of a universal tele-education system to bring virtual classrooms in a multi-class environment with seamless two-way interaction between teachers and students, Dr Kalam said that such a system should not only enable the lecture delivered from studio at the university to reach any remote corner but enable a good teacher in remote area to provide multicast information to other participants of the programme.

Content for distance education should have supportive animations, which may even bring virtual laboratories and virtual immersion effects to remote students.

"When the content is generated, it should be a sharable learning object across the nation and across all platforms. Some institutions and universities have already started developing their content," he said.

In a distance education programme, the teachers, after delivering the talk, can be asked a number of questions by the students and the proceedings of the questions and answers session could therefore be added to the content document for enriching it.

Speaking on the occasion, the Minister for Communications and IT, Mr Dayanidhi Maran, said that IT had given India a brand equity in global market.

"The breathtaking growth recorded in software exports, which have risen from Rs 250 crore in 1991 to Rs 59,500 crore in 2003-04, is a measure of our capacity and potential. We are aware that success such as this also brings new challenges in its wake.

"In order to meet these challenges, we need to prepare ourselves, and schools are the best place to do so."

The Computer Literacy award, at the national level, went to Navrachana Higher Secondary School, Vadodara while Mira Model School, Delhi and Bishop Cotton Boys High School, Bangalore were first and second runners up, respectively.

Awards were also given to 50 schools at the State level in two categories - private/Government-aided schools and Government/municipal schools.

More Stories on : Education | E-Governance

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page