After a delay of three years, around 4,000 Government and Government-aided secondary schools across the State will finally get computers from June under the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) scheme of Government of India.
Central Government had approved implementation of ICT scheme in 2010-11 for 4,000 secondary schools in the State. Even though some of the States in the country are in the third phase of implementation of the scheme, Odisha is yet to begin the process. The delay in funds sanction is cited as the reason behind the delayed execution.
The State Government received its first instalment of Rs 52 crore this year. The complete project cost is around Rs 796 crore.
More than 5.5 lakh students will benefit from this scheme.
The computer teachers will be appointed in the schools. Odisha Madhyamik Sikhya Mission (OMSM), the executing body for the scheme, has decided to provide additional equipments like projector and whiteboard besides facilities like generator, online UPS and stabilisers.
The scheme will be implemented through Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) model, where the agency will have to provide computers to all the 4,000 schools at one go.
OMSM has identified six model schools where the computers and other equipments will be installed first after verification and other schools provided with the same.
Odisha Knowledge Corporation Limited (OKCL) is handling the tendering process for the project. OKCL has also undertaken development of e-content for the secondary schools.