Learn to Code Programme: Raspberry Pi Distribution @ Schools

“The small sized Raspberry Pi will help in promoting basic computer science in the schools across Kerela,” says  P H Kurian, Principal Secretary, Department of Information Technology & Department of Industries, Government of Kerala

P H Kurian

Government of India through its “Make in India” programme wishes to transform India to a  software/hardware super power. This programme can only succeed when there are skilled employees in the country. In the last three years alone 80 million new users got on to the internet in India.

In the next five years, another 500 million new users will be on the internet and a lot of new products will be needed to serve their needs. To build these products, we need well trained professionals. The well trained professionals are the key to building startups, which, over a period of time, will transmogrify into billion dollar companies.

Government of Kerala has taken the lead and launched the initiative called “Learn to Code”. The initiative is being kick started through the Raspberry Pi distribution Programme. Under this programme government of Kerala has distributed 2500 Raspberry Pi Kits to selected school students.

The Government is attempting to “Catch them Young” and instil a sense of innovation and experimentation in the school children. The programme is being implemented by Technopark Technology Business Incubator (T-TBI) in association with IT@School and Startup Village.

The best thing is that the students are also being given basic training and will be encouraged to experiment with the Pi. Focused coding sessions will start after the March examinations. Starting April, each student will be assigned a mentor.

The Learn to Code programme is being launched on the foundation built by the IT @ School project which was started in 2002 for capacity building in Information Technology at the school level. IT @ School is a globally acclaimed success model, which churns out IT savvy generations into the system.  Four lakh students are being trained every year during the last 12 years.

The Raspberry Pi is a low cost, credit-card sized, computer that plugs into the display unit (computer monitor or TV). The computer can be controlled through the standard keyboard and mouse. It is a capable little device, which enables people of all ages to explore computing, and learn how to program in languages like Scratch and Python.

The Raspberry Pi has the ability to interact with the outside world, and has been used in a wide array of digital maker projects. The computer unit has outlets, which can be connected to a normal screen and a keyboard, and it functions as a normal desktop PC. This whole set-up is used for learning computer programming, to surf the internet and send out e-mails, create games and animations, make graphic designs in the screen and to programme external devices like robots, thermostats for recording temperature, etc.

The Raspberry Distribution planned by the government of Kerala is first of its kind in India. This is being done for the first time as a state sponsored programme in the world. A similar distribution happened in UK in January 2013, but then it was sponsored by Google and 15,000 Raspberry kits were distributed to school students. Technopark TBI has completed the procurement of the Raspberry Pi kit comprising of Raspberry Pi B+ board, Enclosure, 8 GB SD card, HDMI cable, HDMI to VGA cable, USB keyboard and USB Mouse. Out of the fund allocated for the initiative, Rs 1,08,09,950 has been incurred for the procurement of 2500 kits i.e Rs 4,324/ kit.

The government of Kerala plans to distribute 10000 kits annually to students primarily in the 8th standard and follow it up with focussed training/mentoring sessions. The government also plans to organise competitions that will trigger and bring out the innovation and experimentation urge in the students at the school level. The Raspberry Pi is being distributed simultaneously across all the districts of the state.