With the enhancement of information and communication technology (ITC) and to make Government school children computer literate, though several steps have been taken by the School Education and literacy Department, the situation is contradictory in reality.
In several Government schools computer education is not being imparted in a way, it should have been.
Several Government schools in the State capital are lacking the basic infrastructure required to impart computer education among children. There are several technical glitches which need to be tackled to ensure quality computer teaching in all these Government schools. Infrastructure, trained teachers, Internet connection, electricity are the pre-requisites for computer training.
However, in a number of Government schools, computer education is imparted by specific multinational companies through corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme hired by the concerned department else there is no optionavailable for kids to opt for computer science, as a result most kids reluctantly study other subjects.
“We have been approached by the State Government authorities and they are ready to provide us with all necessary equipments but we lack proper infrastructure to construct computer labs. We are lashed with electricity and Internet connection and presently, the computer education is being imparted to 35 students of class 9 through Infrastructure leasing and financial services (IlFS) in our school,” informed Principal, Shri Shivnarayan Marwari plus two high School, Chandrakala Kumari.
Through vocational trainers IlFS has been assigned to impart computer education in various government schools. “The School Education and literacy Department has assigned us to teach computer science in eight schools functioning in various districts. Computer literacy programme is presently being imparted only in one school in the state capital whereas two schools from East Singhbhum and five schools functioning in West Singhbhum have been covered under the programme,” informed, Ajay Kumar Sinha, project manager IlFS.
Seeking at the status of other Government and government aided schools, similar situation was witnessed. There is no provision for computer education in Bal Krishna High School while the government aided school like Ratanlal Surajmal Jain Middle school too is lagging behind in imparting computer education among children.
“We have to study economics as we do not have an option to study computer here,” informed a student of Bal Krishna High School.
Citing some plea, Principal, Ratanlal Surajmal Jain Middle School, Awadh Krishna Dubey said, “We are looking for some trained professionals who can teach computer application and moreover, we do not have proper room to set a lab.”
Stating about the problem of electricity connection in several schools, Secretary School Education and literacy, Aradhana Patnaik said, “We need to ensure proper electricity connections in schools to impart computer literacy. The department has also written to electricity department to resolve the matter within three months. This year the department will cover 465 high schools in the first phase where computer education will be initiated with all essential facilities.”