West Bengal Electronics Industry Development Corporation Limited (WEBEL) on behalf of the School Education Department, Government of West Bengal announced holistic intervention of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) mandate in 2000 Government and Government aided secondary and higher secondary schools under Build Own Operate Transfer (BOOT) model wherein the priority would be given to educationally backward blocks and areas with concentration of SC, ST, minority and weaker sections.

Schoolnet India Limited has been awarded to implement ICT labs in 1400 schools. Students across the 5th to 12th standard spectrum would be benefitted from the new academic year. To promote 21st-century learning skills like critical thinking and analytical skills, each school would be provided with an Integrated ICT tool cum projector, that is, K-Yan embedded with multimedia training modules, 10 PCs and printers alongside.

Since ICT education will be imparted to all secondary and higher secondary students, an exclusive ICT instructor will be provided to each school. Similarly, there will be a need for pre-service as well as in-service training of all teachers for effective use of ICT in the teaching and learning process; teacher training hence would be provided to all the teachers.

Gautam Maiti, Vice-President of Schoolnet India Limited said, “The ICT enabled education in classrooms is a significant step in achieving the educational goal of the government of West Bengal. Given the rapid evolution of computer technologies, computer aided education offers an adaptable and flexible environment for learning.”

Schoolnet India Limited (Schoolnet), along with its subsidiaries, focuses on the global “demographic dividend” opportunity, with its 3Es agenda (Education, Employability and Employment) through 3 key offerings:

• Edtech solutions to K-12 schools for improved teaching-learning-assessment outcomes
• Technical & Vocational Education & Training (TVET) services for enhancing employability and job-linkages
• Providing English language education and skills to enable a global-ready workforce