Thiruvananthapuram: The government has incorporated IT@school as Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE) to avail of the funding from Kerala Infrastructure and Investment Fund Board (KIIFB). K. Anvar Sadath, its vice-chairman and executive director, said the project restricted to general education sector has now been extended to the higher education sector. It would also provide ICT support to arts and science and engineering colleges and universities. Incidentally, KITE is the first special purpose vehicle (SPV) formed after the Navakerala Mission of the State Government commenced.
The activities of VICTERS channel under IT@school would also be expanded under the new mechanism. However, IT@School would be retained as a brand name under KITE”, Mr Sadath told DC. The new form would help facilitate ICT enhancement in higher education sector also, by fully using free and open source software (FOSS) tools. Through the transformation to a full-fledged company under the state government, KITE has now more scope and authority for implementing various ICT programmes, when compared to the earlier project mode of operation.
KITE has already started the implementation of hi-tech school programme transforming 45,000 classrooms in 4,775 schools for which KIFFB has already approved a funding of Rs 493.5 crores. Dr Usha Titus, secretary, the general education department has been appointed as the chairman and managing director. K.V.Mohan Kumar, director of public instruction, is a member of its board of directors.
Under KITE, the existing wing of IT@School would be expanded for ICT initiatives in schools and colleges, while a dedicated wing would manage the infrastructure development. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan launched the logo of KITE in the presence of education minister C Raveendranath. IT@School was formed in 2001, as a Project under General Education Department, to inculcate IT activities in Higher School sections. In 2005, the information technology was made a compulsory subject in Standard 10.
