Thiruvananthapuram, a UNICEF India study has praised Kerala's digital education (EdTech) initiatives, describing it as a model not only for other Indian states but also for middle-income and developed countries.
The report titled “Empowering Teens with Future-Ready Skills: The Inspiring Story of Little KITES” was released here on Saturday.
Rani George IAS, Principal Secretary, General Education Department, received the copy of the study report from Pramila Manoharan, Education Specialist, UNICEF India, in the presence of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and General Education Minister V Sivankutty.
The study focused on the Little KITES programme, considered India's largest student ICT network, implemented by Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE) in 2,174 secondary schools in the southern state.
Aligned with global and national efforts to develop future-ready skills along with the United Nations global framework, the study offered 10 data-driven recommendations, according to an official statement here.
Kerala's KITE-led EdTech model, without relying on for-profit providers, is scalable and adaptable, making it valuable to other regions, the report notes.
He stressed that choosing free and open source software (FOSS) instead of proprietary software has technological, economic, social and pedagogical benefits, as demonstrated by the success of KITE.
The report also noted that Kerala saved Rs 3,000 crore by using open source software and even Finland has expressed interest in replicating the Little KITE model.
The Little KITES initiative contributes to Kerala's transformation into a knowledge-based society and economy by fostering creativity and problem-solving skills among children while addressing the gender disparity in STEM fields by encouraging participation of the girls.
Additionally, the program has attracted private school students to enroll in public schools, she further noted.
The UNICEF study called for expanding Little KITE's to all secondary schools and upper secondary levels and recommended engaging local agencies and communities for greater investment in public education.
The report goes beyond praising Kerala's infrastructure, including the deployment of 9,000 robotic kits and AI/IoT training for Little KITE.
“In closing, it is evident that Little KITES is a well-sown seed in the fertile soil of EdTech in Kerala.
“It has grown rapidly and promoted a wide range of students across the public school system to explore creativity and problem solving, connect school to life in innovative ways, and design safe digital futures,” the study concludes.
Dr. Akila Radhakrishnan, social policy specialist at UNICEF India, said the UN agency's study identifies the Little KITES program as a truly unique open source edtech intervention, and pledged to share their stories. of success with other states and countries.
“KITE seeks partnerships with UNICEF and others to bring Little KITES to new regions. The study identifies areas to strengthen the Little KITES program. We are also seeking help from the FOSS community to support the development of AI,” said K Anvar Sadath, CEO, KITE.
The study report has been published on the UNICEF website, the KITE statement added.
The report titled “Empowering Teens with Future-Ready Skills: The Inspiring Story of Little KITES” was released here on Saturday.
Rani George IAS, Principal Secretary, General Education Department, received the copy of the study report from Pramila Manoharan, Education Specialist, UNICEF India, in the presence of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and General Education Minister V Sivankutty.
The study focused on the Little KITES programme, considered India's largest student ICT network, implemented by Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE) in 2,174 secondary schools in the southern state.
Aligned with global and national efforts to develop future-ready skills along with the United Nations global framework, the study offered 10 data-driven recommendations, according to an official statement here.
Kerala's KITE-led EdTech model, without relying on for-profit providers, is scalable and adaptable, making it valuable to other regions, the report notes.
He stressed that choosing free and open source software (FOSS) instead of proprietary software has technological, economic, social and pedagogical benefits, as demonstrated by the success of KITE.
The report also noted that Kerala saved Rs 3,000 crore by using open source software and even Finland has expressed interest in replicating the Little KITE model.
The Little KITES initiative contributes to Kerala's transformation into a knowledge-based society and economy by fostering creativity and problem-solving skills among children while addressing the gender disparity in STEM fields by encouraging participation of the girls.
Additionally, the program has attracted private school students to enroll in public schools, she further noted.
The UNICEF study called for expanding Little KITE's to all secondary schools and upper secondary levels and recommended engaging local agencies and communities for greater investment in public education.
The report goes beyond praising Kerala's infrastructure, including the deployment of 9,000 robotic kits and AI/IoT training for Little KITE.
“In closing, it is evident that Little KITES is a well-sown seed in the fertile soil of EdTech in Kerala.
“It has grown rapidly and promoted a wide range of students across the public school system to explore creativity and problem solving, connect school to life in innovative ways, and design safe digital futures,” the study concludes.
Dr. Akila Radhakrishnan, social policy specialist at UNICEF India, said the UN agency's study identifies the Little KITES program as a truly unique open source edtech intervention, and pledged to share their stories. of success with other states and countries.
“KITE seeks partnerships with UNICEF and others to bring Little KITES to new regions. The study identifies areas to strengthen the Little KITES program. We are also seeking help from the FOSS community to support the development of AI,” said K Anvar Sadath, CEO, KITE.
The study report has been published on the UNICEF website, the KITE statement added.
