Education for all takes off

 

 

In a country, where even after sixty years of independence education for all was nothing more than an impossible dream, a group of technocrats have stood up to turn this impossible dream into a reality by setting up a virtual school in the Red Cross Government High School, in the Masab Tank area in Hyderabad.

In addition to features such as bi-directional video streaming between a remote teacher and students in a classroom, the virtual classrooms will also provide a shared whiteboard and facilitate the teacher to utilise visual aid in the teaching process.

A unique software developed by the group facilitates high compression of data, enabling real-time audio-video streaming at low-end computers running on normal Internet connections, which otherwise requires high speed internet service and state-of-the-art equipments.

The initiative provides an opportunity to anyone who wishes to spare a few hours every week to contribute in this noble cause. Schools and volunteer-teachers can become a part of this initiative by simply registering themselves with www.educationforfree.org, and downloading the software, which provides access to the online teaching tools and audio-video streaming.

While those signing up to be teachers will be trained in the basics. Those wishing to adopt a school will be required to register themselves with the website; also, they must have a low-end personal computer, a webcam and a projector. The sponsors can fund power and internet connections by contributing about $50 a month.

The group is confident that the patrons in the US and other countries will join them in their effort. These people have done their bit, but have you?