Computer education for govt school students in AP

For K Naresh, a 10th-standard student of a residential school run by government of Andhra Pradesh in Puligadda, about 80 km away from urban environs of Vijayawada, computer is now an integral part of the daily routine.

Notwithstanding the general image of a student of a government school, he sends e-mails, creates animated graphics and more importantly, practices HTML and other programmes.

He is just one among over 15 lakh students of government schools in the remotest corners of Andhra Pradesh who are being trained in computer and Web-enabled technologies under the K-12 (Kindergarten to 12th standard) project being implemented by IT education major NIIT Ltd.

"My father is an electrician from Kodueru village. I could never dream of working on a system. This is a wonderful tool and I will become a IT professional," Naresh told PTI, taking a break from designing an animated graphic for a popular Telugu song.

Same is the case with K Divya, a sixth-standard student whose father is a weaver. Her interest in IT is being nurtured with strokes of MS Paint. "I will become an automobile engineer and design an affordable car for all with computers," she said with a spark in her eyes.

"There has been a lot of enthusiasm among the students and parents in 663 residential and non-residential government schools in 15 districts of the state," Sudha Raju, senior vice president, NIIT, said.