IT Department Launching Learn to Code and Electronics@School for Students

TechnoparkToday.com: The state IT Department is launching two projects in schools to create a pool of skilled future IT professionals, electronics geeks and technology entrepreneurs.

Second phase of the Learn to Code project and a pioneering Electronics@School programme will be launched at a function inaugurated by the Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Friday at the Thycaud Govt HS LP School, Thiruvananthapuram at 9.30 am, announced PK Kunhalikkutty, Minister for IT and Industries, here at a press conference.

Kunhalikkutty will launch the Learn to Code project, which is a joint endeavor of Kerala Startup Mission and Kerala’s IT@School project. As many as 7,500 school children will get Raspberry Pi palm computer kits as part of the programme. Along with the Government Schools, aided and unaided Schools are also been included in the second phase.

In the pilot phase, launched by the Chief Minister in February, 2,500 selected students of class eight were given Raspberry Pi kits and trained in programming by IT experts in all the district centers. Shri Oommen Chandy will give away prizes tomorrow to winners of the coding competition held as part of the pilot project. The selected students from the competition will get an opportunity to exhibit their projects at the venue.

The Raspberry Pi is a low cost, credit-card sized computer that plugs into a display unit (computer monitor or TV) and uses a standard keyboard and mouse. It can carry out most functions of a regular desktop, including word processing, playing games and videos, and internet surfing, besides enabling users to learn to program in languages such as Scratch and Python. External devices like robots and thermostats that records temperature can be programmed using the kit.

Education Minister Shri P K Abdu Rabb will launch the Electronics @ School project and distribute colour-coded training kits for hands-on training in basic electronics to selected children.

Minister for Health Shri V S Shivakumar, Shri Shashi Tharoor MP, Principal Secretary to the Department of IT and Industries Shri PH Kurien, Mayor K Chandrika, Startup Village Chairman Shri Sanjay Vijayakumar, Former Executive Vice Chairman of Infosys Shri Kris Gopalakrishnan, Startup Mission CEO Dr. Jayasankar Prasad and IT@School Executive Director Shri KP Noufal will attend the function.

The colour-coded training kit is based on the simple concept of puzzle solving that helps students understand connectivity through trial and error. The structure of the kit divides electronics into six basic blocks, each of these bricks is colour coded so as to make it more intuitive and easier to understand. Circuits of the light-following robot, automatic gate for actuators and the fire detecting robot can be made from the kit.

This year Government will distribute 6,000 Electronics kit to various Schools across the State. The Electronics Kit is aligned with the Physics curriculum of classes 9 and 10.