Shaji A

IT@School Project, Government of Kerala

IT@school project of Govt of Kerala has now been promoted as a Government company viz; KITE- Kerala Infrastructure and Technology For Education. The new form gives more freedom and authority for the organization to leap frog further. KITE's scope has now been extended further to Higher Education sector also including Arts & Science, Engineering colleges & Universities. KITE was formed in 2001, as a Project under Education Dept, to inculcate IT activities in Higher School sections in the State. The first breakthrough of IT@School came in 2005 when IT was made a compulsory subject in Std 10. The launch of EDUSAT operations and broadband connectivity to schools commenced since then. VICTERS channel operated by KITE was the first Complete Educational Channel in the Country. By effectively making use of the Centrally sponsored ‘ICT at School ‘scheme, KITE provided OCT infrastructure to 4071 schools during 2007-2012. In 2016, KITE re-initiated the ICT intervention in Lower Primary and Upper Primary sections, by launching exclusive ICT Textbooks viz; Kalipetti and e@Vidya. As many as 1.50 Lakh teachers from Std 1 to 12 has been empowered with ICT skills, enabling them to transact their subjects more effectively using ICT tools. KITE amply supplements State Government's Public Education Rejuvenation Mission with initiatives such as Samagra Content Portal, Sampoorna School Management software & SchoolWiki. KITE also introduced ‘Hi School Kuttikootam' under which over 1 lakh students are being provided specialized trainings in 5 different areas-as Animation, Cyber Safety, Hardware, Electronics & Malayalam computing. KITE is implementing Hi-Tech school programme of the Education Dept, by which 45,000 classrooms in 4775 schools are being made Hi-Tech, for which KIFFB has already approved a funding of Rs.493.50 Crores. Dr.Usha Titus, Secretary, Education Department is Chairman & Managing Director of KITE whereas Shri.K.Anvar Sadath is Vice Chairman and Executive Director.