Though the first phase of e-Language labs set up by the Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE) in all State schools covers English, the project will be implemented in Malayalam, Hindi, Arabic, Sanskrit, and Urdu too, Minister for General Education V. Sivankutty has said.
He was speaking after inaugurating the free and open source software-based E3 (E-Cube) English programme to improve the language proficiency of students at Government Upper Primary School, Poojappura, on Friday.
The Minister said the E-Cube English e-Language labs devised for students from Classes 1 to 7 will be extended gradually to high school and higher secondary classes too. To ensure effective use of e-Language labs next academic year, IT training will be organised for all teachers concerned in May itself.
The e-Language lab software works without any specific hardware, Internet, or networking. It can be installed easily in the laptops provided by KITE in schools making use of Wi-Fi facility.
The Minister said using licensed software to provide such a facility in all schools in the State would cost around ₹800 crore. However, the State had shown the way in using free software and without compromising on academics. This accomplishment of the State achieved through KITE would be shared with other States, the Minister said.
Students of Government Upper Primary School, Poojappura, introduced the e-Language lab to the Minister. KITE Chief Executive Officer K. Anvar Sadath and Samagra Shiksha, Kerala Director, Supriya A.R. spoke.
