Hello everybody Regarding the report of Manorama, the real problem is that IT@School is toppled because VS had proposed GNU/Linux. VS may or may not use Linux in his laptop. This is not the reason for the failure of IT at School. It failed because the concerned authorities didn't give appropriate training in GNU/Linux to the teachers. I got this info when I contacted some teachers who were teaching IT at Govt schools. The training had started only this month which is too late. The annual exams are to be held on March. The newspaper is trying to mislead the public that the project is toppled due to Linux. Regarding Project Shiksha there are some more facts. I think many of you are aware about this facts. The following has been taken from the Oct '03 issue of Linux For You(page 26): " I Kerala, as part of project Shiksha, an IT academy will be set up in one of the prime location, Technopark at Trivandrum. The state government has rented out a 270 sq m(3000 sq ft) area with electricity, water supply, phone connections and air conditioners, for Re 1 per annum. In return, Microsoft will create curriculum and provide training for master trainers. All expenses, such as travel allowances and daily allowances for teachers, will be borne by the state. It is again the state, which wil print and distribute all the course material."
In Kerala there are plenty of institutions in the public sector and co-operative sector which doesn't have enough infrastructure facilities. And the Govt is trying to facilitate a MNC which is trying implement a "neo-colonialist society". The relief factor is that the agreement had not been yet signed. I think this is the disturbing factor for Kishore(reporter) regards Manilal