Computers in Schools
As part of its information and communication technology (ICT) portfolio, S3IDF has helped bring computers into several Kannada- and English-medium schools in rural Karnataka. These projects have been taken on at the request of the local communities themselves, who are keenly aware that integrating computer training and computer-based education into the basic curriculum is critical to providing students with the skills to succeed in today’s economy. S3IDF has helped these schools develop financially viable and sustainable models to obtain computers by making students pay a nominal fee based on their ability to pay, while at the same time ensuring that no student is left behind.
S3IDF assesses the school’s ability to contribute to the cost of the computers, as well as the students’ willingness to pay, to determine the amount of loan financing that can possibly be obtained from local financial institutions. S3IDF provides loan guarantees where necessary to secure bank funding. To reduce the capital costs, wherever possible, S3IDF works to procure used computers from corporations. In order to further enhance the financial sustainability of the project, as well as make the computer center a resource for the community at large, the schools can also open the lab for community use and training classes after school hours.
S3IDF networks with technology suppliers to determine the most appropriate technological solutions to equip the computer lab, including backup power systems to keep the computers running during the all too frequent power outages. Internet connections are also incorporated into the lab to give the children access to a wealth of online information and applications. The necessary teaching content is procured from organizations such as Azim Premji Foundation and Kannada Ganaka Parishat.
These projects have vast benefits both for the children attending school as well as the community at large. Providing affordable access to computers and computer-based education for all students enhances education in traditional subject areas, as well as equips students with necessary skills for the modern economy. With the school computer centers open to the community after school hours, the same benefits are extended to adults as well. Additionally, access to the Internet provides the community a wealth of information at their fingertips.
ICT Project at Kondlahalli Rural High School, Molakalmuru, Chitradurga District, Karnataka
This Information and Communication technology (ICT) project is to provide computers to a Kannada-medium high school (Kondlahalli Rural High School) in Kondlahalli village, Chitradurga district, Karnataka state. The computers will provide computer assisted learning and computer training to children during the school hours. The computer center will be run in a financially sustainable manner through the revenues generated from the services provided through the computer center. Since the village experiences daily power cuts, providing reliable electricity supply to the computers by means of an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) system is also part of the project. The computer center has four computers when it started in June 2005, with enough backup power for six hours of use. Educational software for the computers was provided by the Azim Premji Foundation, an education-oriented nonprofit. Chitradurga Grameen Bank provided a five-year loan for Rs. 60,000, with S3IDF providing a partial guarantee. The rest was funded by grants (Rs. 47,000) and the school itself (Rs. 83,000).
Subsequently, S3IDF helped the school to get 10 computers from Intel Corporation for free of cost sometime in October 2006.
This Information and Communication technology (ICT) project is to provide a computer to Sri Guru Kanaka Lower Primary School (from first standard to fifth standard) in Tayakanahalli village, Bellary district, Karnataka state. The project started in July 2005. The computers will provide computer assisted learning and computer training to children during the school hours. The computers will also be utilized after school hours by providing computer related services, such as extra computer training for children. The computer center will be run in a financially sustainable manner through the revenues generated from the services provided through the computer center. Since the village experiences daily power cuts, providing reliable electricity supply to the computers by means of an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) system is also part of the project. The total cost of the project is around Rs. 27,000. Of this, Rs. 7,000 (25%) of the investment cost was borne by the school. The remaining Rs. 20000 (75%) was financed through a loan to the school by the local branch of Pragathi Grameen Bank. This loan was enabled by the provision of a partial risk guarantee by S3IDF.
This project provided 14 computers to a school in Challekere town. The school is a government-aided school with both Kannada and English medium classes from grades from 1 to 10. Most children coming to Kannada medium classes are from poor households. The school previously had seven computers being run by a private party. The computers were restricted to only English medium students and did not have any internet connectivity. The school was not in a position to extend the computer classes to Kannada medium grades due to the fees being charged by the private party. The school was approached by us to introduce computer classes for all students and introduce internet connectivity through the computers. The computer center could also be utilized after school hours by the local community. The project is running from June 2006.
The total project investment of approximately Rs. 191,000 was financed in part by a loan of Rs. 140,000 from Pragathi Grameen Bank (with a partial loan guarantee provided by S3IDF), as well as a contribution of Rs. 50,000 by the school. The computer center will be run in a financially sustainable manner through the revenues generated from the services provided through the computer center. Kannada-medium students are charged Rs. 200/year for use of the computers (although payment is not enforced), while English-medium students are charged Rs. 300.
ICT Project with
The project is to provide two computers to a school in Talaku in Challekere Taluk. The school is a private school run in Kannada medium. The concept is similar to the Kondlahalli project. The school has approximately 200 students with classes from pre-kindergarten to fifth standard. All students work with the computers, with different computer skills curricula tailored for different grade levels. The total investment of Rs. 52,000 was financed partially by a loan of Rs. 39,000 from Pragathi Grameen Bank (with loan guarantee by S3IDF), as well as a contribution of Rs. 13,000 by the school itself. Students are charged Rs. 300/year for use of the computers, which all students have been able to pay without difficulty. Computer classes for non-students are run during the evening at a charge of Rs. 1200 for a six-month course. The project is in operations from June 2006.Coin Phones
In India, coin phones (pay phones) are an important and affordable means of communication for those on the go, or for those who cannot afford a home telephone connection. For the cost of one rupee, a coin phone can be used to reach anyone in India. Coin phones are nearly ubiquitous in urban India, where shopkeepers and hawkers provide the telecommunications service as a supplemental income source. Their presence has further exploded since they became wireless. The coin phone operator pays the phone company for the coin phone, which is connected wirelessly to the switched telephone network. Thereafter, a portion of the revenues collected by the phone are kept by the operator. While many small and petty shops would find great value from the income generated by a coin phone, unfortunately, many are not able to afford the initial cost of investing in the phone. Often, coin phones are only operated by larger and wealthier shopkeepers. S3IDF’s NGO partners in several towns and villages have identified a desire by small and petty shopkeepers to invest in coin phones. This is where S3IDF has come in to help.S3IDF, working with local partner NGOs, has invested in coin phones for roadside petty shops in several towns and villages in rural Karnataka. The petty shops either purchase the coin phone outright or on a lease-to-purchase basis.
These projects have a dual impact. The shopkeepers operating the coin phones get an additional source of income, and villagers get access to affordable telecommunications services.
Telecom services at hamlets around Nayakanahatti, Chitradurga District, Karnataka
Nayakanahatti has three main roads with a number of shops (around 75). During August 2006, the village has around 20 coin phones and these phones are with the well-to-do shops. This project will provide coin booths largely to small shops and petty shops who would otherwise find it difficult to invest in the coin phones. Our NGO partner, Chaitanya, identified 15 shops for coin phones and one for a teacher in a neighboring hamlet.
S3IDF provided Chaitanya with a direct loan to provide coin phones to petty shops of Nayakanahatti.
The project has now expanded to various villages of Chitradurga.
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