According to K.Anvar Sadath, CEO, KITE the new advanced operating system can be used in three lakhs computers located in public schools throughout Kerala.
The biggest group of school students connected to IT in India, Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE), will introduce its new free OS Kit GNU Linux 22.04 based on open source software here on August 23, 2024 when a two-day State-level camp for Little Kites is inaugurated.
For this programme which has been organised at KITE Regional Resource Centre, Edappally we have selected 130 out of 1200 students who attended district level Little KITEs camp.
The Chief Executive Officer of the firm said that three lakh computers found in different public schools around Kerala are ideal for the OS with an updated version of 80.04. The Minister of General Education V.Sivankutty would launch the new OS suit.
It is useful widely
This operating system because it can be freely deployed as a complete computing platform not only for information and communication technologies learning in schools but also for general purposes by students and teachers on their home computers as well as those working at government offices, DTP centers, printing presses, software development firms and engineering college students in particular.
The Wayland system was utilized instead of Xorg window mechanism that is currently being used in these systems by every school system according to Mr Sadat.
A customized version of Ubuntu which includes applications like GCompris, Tux Paint, PictoBlox, Traffic game, Waste challenge, Omnitux, EDU Activate, PhET, GeoGebra Libre Office package Colour Paint Scratch, Krita comprises this OS suite.
Since this year’s ICT textbook for class seven includes artificial intelligence(AI) training; the new OS contains tools that help grasp elementary concepts about AI, machine learning, computer vision et cetera.
Malayalam computing, Ebook reader, desktop publishing software, graphics and image editing software, sound recording and video editing tools, 3D animation packages, screen recording and broadcasting tools, database servers and applications as well as desktop version of mobile apps are among the many advanced features that have been put in this new OS.
₹3,000 crore saved
KITE schools do not use any proprietary software rather they utilize free alternatives on laptops which are replacing those that had been used by higher secondary courses as well as vocational higher secondary level under National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) job roles in public education.
All of these combined attracted international attention and the result was a saving of ₹3000 crores from two lakhs computers according to Mr. Sadath.
According to him, KITE is going to conduct trainings for all IT coordinators of schools so that they can install it into every computer in their school.
The new OS suite can be freely downloaded from the download link in the website of KITE (www.kite.kerala.gov.in) from August 23.
“After inauguration and launching of the new operating system, Industries Minister P.Rajeeve will interact with students participating in the camp,” said a communication from Public Relations department here.
Moreover there will be an exhibition whereby products coming out from areas such as animation and robotics shall be showcased by students.