Students to get 10,000 computers

10,000 Raspberry Pi computers will be given to students from eighth to eleventh standard , belonging to government and aided school, by the Kerala Government. This initiative was taken up to increase computer literacy among the students in the state. The distribution will be done in May this year.

Raspberry Pi Programme, a pilot project, will begin next week in Thiruvananthapuram. 25 students will get the device in the state capital. Recently, 5 crore had been allocated by the state government for the project.

Raspberry Pi is a credit card-sized single-board computer, developed by Raspberry Pi Foundation in the UK, aiming to teach of basic computer science in schools. A micro USB provides the power to the device. To connect keyboard and mouse, USB ports are available. The core aim is make the students gain the knowledge about both software and hardware.

Babu Sebastian, Executive Director (In charge), IT @ School said, "The pilot Raspberry Pi Programme will start at Thiruvananthapuram district resource centre of IT @ School next week, under which a two-day training programme will be imparted to 25 students. The official launch of the project would take place in May this year. We have already selected students for the programme from the state IT fest. The programme is aimed at enhancing computer awareness among Class 8, 9, 10 and 11 students. We hope to generate at least 100 outstanding students who would excel through this programme. A resource group has been formed in order to train the students to use Raspberry Pi."

The state would soon have Raspberry Pi devices, he added. A 12-day training programme will be provided at 200 selected training centres in the state, to 10,000 students, post the official launch of the project.

Of the total amount permitted for the project, INR 2.5 crore will be used to purchase the device and the rest of the amount would be utilised for the training programme. Five chosen students from around 2000 schools, will be benefited from the programme.

To implement the Raspberry Pi Programme in Kerala, under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary of the state, an official body has been formed.