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A mission makes village computer literacy a virtual reality

By Kanchan Apte

I have seen this on television and it looks so complicated. But in real life, it's simple," exults Dipti Dimbale, a Class IX student of the Zilla Parishad School in Kalyan village, after her first brush with a computer. "I can write by just pressing keys. I don't use an eraser but it still looks so neat and tidy." Atul Dimbale, studying in Class V, refuses to touch the keyboard when asked to type his name. "I am afraid," he says. But after overcoming his hesitation he types with such enthusiasm that it becomes difficult to get him to make way for others.

Lokhande takes another computer to a village school

In this village near Pune one man's mission to bridge the gap between rural and urban students in terms of computer literacy has brought excitement, curiosity and apprehension for schoolchildren. They flock to view the "tv-like machine", a lot of questions on their lips: Will I receive a shock? Can I touch it with both my hands? Do I have to use an eraser to delete the matter on screen?

Thanks to Pradeep Lokhande their school is now one of many that has received a computer through the Non-Resident Villager's (NRV) movement. Started in 1997, when Lokhande began writing to villages in the region about the significance of information technology and computers for the future, the crusade has installed 67 computers in various village schools. People residing in urban areas are encouraged to donate "used" computers to villages. "The number of people migrating to cities from villages is high. After they prosper there, they want to give something back to their village," explains Lokhande. "We ask individuals to donate PCs to any village school."

Having observed that many offices discarded computers after getting an upgraded version, the NRV got these machines installed in village schools where students who had only heard of computers were only too thankful for any access to them. Most of these computers are the 286 or 386 versions but Lokhande has found use for even such outdated machines. "These computers are not very advanced and may teach only dos but the aim is to break the mental block and encourage students to get rid of the fear of the machine," he says. S.G. Ambavale, principal of the Zilla Parishad Secondary School, is all praise for the scheme. "We have decided to allot half an hour daily for the 80 students in our school," he says. "Instead of starting off with something hi-tech, which even our teacher would have taken long to understand, we prefer these computers."

Long Road Ahead: An enthusiastic Lokhande tries to provide a computer to every school that asks for one. But there are certain criteria which need to be fulfilled. "The school must have at least one teacher who is computer literate and can teach the students. Till we are convinced that the teacher is well qualified, we do not install a computer," says Lokhande. To get feedback on NRV's programmes blank post cards addressed to NRV are given to students, who are encouraged to write what they feel about having a computer in school and the progress they make. To make computer education simpler, the schools are given notes in the regional language.

Lokhande is aware of the limitations of NRV's efforts. "I know that one machine is not sufficient for students. But we think it is a start. Once we inculcate in them the feeling that a computer is like any other machine, our purpose of confidence-building is served," he believes. Lokhande has ambitious plans for the future. He wants to install 28,000 PCs in villages in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. He even claims to be in touch with 28,000 villages in the four states through school principals, teachers, students, postmasters, even shopkeepers.

Meanwhile, the Zilla Parishad School plans to add an extra period to the time-table, giving students more time to click the mouse-and get an education similar to what their urban counterparts are getting across India. With the Maharashtra State Education Board introducing computers as part of the school syllabus, the curiosity of students who today wait breathlessly for a chance to touch a computer should one day be transformed into real learning.

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