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Tvm: The IT@School Project of Government of Kerala is planning to launch a unique programme for providing laptops and netbooks to about 50,000 teachers in the State at discounted rates.

The teachers would benefit the bulk purchase rate received by IT@School for procuring 10,000 laptops and 18,000 netbooks under ICT scheme for schools for which the national level tendering process was undertaken by KELTRON, the service provider. Teachers would be able to procure a laptops for Rs.17,770/- (including the warranty for battery and power adapter) and a netbook at Rs.11,450/- respectively, effecting a reduction of as much as 37% and 36% of market rates of Rs.28,000/- and Rs.18,000/-.

All the equipments are ensured with a 3-year warranty including for the battery and power adapter- a unique facility provided to IT@School purchases only. The laptops and netbooks thus provided would be pre-loaded with IT @ School Edu Ubuntu and other Open Source based softwares.

In a release, K Anvar Sadath, Executive Director, IT@School Project said, “There have been constant requests from the teachers as well as Teacher’s Organisations that laptops may be provided to the teachers at lower rates, so that they are well equipped to make use of ICT in their teaching process. We are sure that this new scheme of providing laptops / netbooks to teachers would create new waves in the educational scenario of the State”.

This scheme would benefit all Head Masters / Principals and Teachers from the Government Schools and Aided Schools in the State who wish to buy a laptop / netbook. The Head of the Institutions should certify that the teacher has received training in IT and uses IT in his / her classroom for teaching. Teachers of Lower Primary and Upper Primary sections who are yet to receive IT training could also avail this facility, provided they should submit an undertaking stating that they would be trained in IT before June 2011. Moreover the applicant should also produce an undertaking stating that the laptops / netbooks thus purchased should not be used for any other purpose and also would not be sold to anyone. This scheme would be open to 50,000 teachers on a first come first serve basis, subject to a maximum of 4,000 per district.

The draft concept note on the scheme is available at the IT@School website. General public can also post their views on the scheme at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it which would be open till January 13, 2011.

Kerala IT News