Monday, November 18, 2002		Feature

Educational institutes to go hi-tech
V.P. Prabhakar

THERE has been a change in the learning pattern due to the introduction of technology and newer methods of imparting education. New technologies are being gradually integrated into learning environment for efficient teaching, upgradation of skills of teachers and students.

Under the scheme, Vidya Vahini, out of 11 lakh schools in the country, according to the annual report of the Department of information and Technology, there are 60,000 senior secondary schools in the government sector, which have basic infrastructure like science lab, science and mathematics teachers, electricity, telephone and furniture. It is, therefore, proposed to connect 60,000 government and government funded senior secondary schools on the Intranet and Internet by providing them computer lab to facilitate IT education, access to the Internet, online library, academic services, Web broadcast, e-learning and sharing resources.

The proposal, according to the report, would be implemented in phases. In the first phase, 60,000 government senior secondary schools across the country would be provided IT infrastructure and connected to the Intranet and Internet. The rest of the schools would be taken up in the second phase.

Under the project for higher learning institutions, also known as Gyan Vahini, there are nearly 13,000 government-aided higher learning institutions in the country, that comprises central, state, deemed universities, engineering, medical, dental and degree colleges.