Bharathi, thanks for inviting attention to the ELCOT seminar on school
education.
At:
http://www.elcot.com/ncce/prog-schedule.htm
http://www.elcot.com/ncce/prog-schedule-day2.htm
<quote>
Day 2, 25th September, Saturday, 2004
Venue : Hotel Trident Sheraton , Chennai
0930 to 1100 hrs International models in Computer Education
Invited Presentations from 3 speakers of - INTEL / Microsoft / Apple
</quote>
It should be interesting to hear about the plans the special invitees
from Microsoft and Apple have in mind for our school children. The
whole idea appears to be to _give_ information to the delegates and I
am not sure if the program schedule seriously allows delegates to
address on the issues within the allotted two half hours of "moderated
open discussion".
Further, it has been reported that:
"Private companies in computer education have brought in the hardware,
software and the staff to teach the course framed by the State
Government. Thus the schools get the benefit of computer education
without the government bearing any recurring expenditure. This is a
model that other States are hoping to follow."
Attempts like this in the US have been rejected as unethical and
monopolistic.
http://news.com.com/2100-1001-276058.html?legacy=cnet
http://news.com.com/2100-1001-808241.html
http://www.defenselink.mil/dodgc/defense_ethics/2004_Advisories/ADV_0402.htm
Thiagarajan, has already given info here that the State Govt is in the
process of including free software in the _Matriculation_ Syllabus.
The same could be adopted for the State Board syllabus also, and as a
step further, we may explain that Free software is the result of a
world wide voluntary movement, based on strong ethical foundations,
and this could be the opportune time to inculcate through schools, the
spirit of sharing, along with imparting knowledge about the robust,
secure, free and open software based on vendor neutral standards, and
request for removal of including proprietary software from school
curriculum.
BTW, another news item of interest from HINDU BUSINESSLINE:
DoT Delicenses 2.4 to 2.48 GHz wireless bandwidth
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/holnus/006200409081450.htm
-Ramanraj