THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Soon, over three lakh computers in schools across the state will switch to the latest version of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS)-based Operating System (OS) that enables better learning of Artificial Intelligence (AI) modules introduced in the curriculum from Class VII.
Devised by Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE), the technological arm of the General Education department, the OS can be freely accessed by the general public as well.
The new FOSS-based OS system suite ‘KITE GNU Linux 22.04’ will be formally launched by General Education Minister V Sivankutty on August 23.
The launch will happen during the inaugural session of Little KITEs State Camp to be held at Regional Resource Centre of KITE in Ernakulam.
The OS suite can be used freely as a complete computing platform not only for ICT learning in schools but also for students and teachers.
It can be accessed for general purposes on computers used in homes, government offices, DTP centres, printing presses, software development companies, colleges and so on.
“KITE will provide training for all school IT coordinators for installing the new Operating System in the computers at their schools,” said K Anvar Sadath, Chief Executive Officer, KITE. The new Operating System suite can be freely downloaded from the download link in the website of KITE (www.kite.kerala.gov.in) from August 23 onwards.
The new version of OS is developed using the Wayland system instead of Xorg Window mechanism currently used in schools.
The new OS suite, which is a customised version of Ubuntu, the popular FOSS operating system, comprises applications such as GCompris, Tux Paint, PictoBlox, Traffic game, Waste challenge, Omnitux, EDU Activate, PhET, GeoGebra, Libre Office package, Colour Paint, Scratch and Krita.
Given that AI has been included as part of the ICT textbook for Class VII from this year, the new OS will also include tools to gain basic understanding of concepts related to AI, machine learning, computer vision, and more.
The new OS also features elaborate systems for Malayalam computing, e-book reader, desktop publishing software, graphics and image editing softwares.
KITE has equipped schools with laptops that utilise entirely free software, replacing the previously licenced software used for courses in higher secondary schools and for NSQF job roles in vocational higher secondary in public education sector. This has resulted in a savings of Rs 3,000 crore to the state.