Digital Literacy

South Korea tops the chart of household broadband usage in the world (95%
penetration), with the assistance of government backed policies. In the top
twenty list, none of the SAARC countries has found any place. Some of the
developed economies are there. The US is at the twentieth position, well behind
Estonia, Singapore, the Middle East, etc.

Resurgence in broadband will assist the developing countries to catapult
their sluggish economies to the pole position. This can happen only with the
assistance of the government.

Broadband, which is still a distant dream for the majority of students in all
SAARC countries, cannot be ignored any more. We need to connect schools with
broadband to ensure that the nation is able to enjoy yet another revolution.

New Zealand will be spending $150 mn to create a digital education network
and to make schools ultra broadband ready. Students, especially those in rural
areas, could get access to education via videoconferencing that they could not
otherwise. Small schools will become a part of big virtual schools.

India is planning to provide broadband connectivity to 5,000 schools and
20,000 colleges in rural and semi-urban areas to promote e-learning.

Bangladesh has recently made the use of broadband Internet services free for
nearly 40,000 state-run primary schools, and has cut tariffs by 75% for
thousands of state-run high schools, colleges, madrassas, and universities.

The International Telecommunications Union is encouraging its member states
to adopt school based community broadband to bring information and communication
technologies (ICT) access to disadvantaged and vulnerable groups.

Promoting connectivity in schools with the aim of boosting the economy faces
a number of challenges. These include selecting and implementing the right
broadband technology; removing entry barriers by offering cost-effective
end-user equipments, such as computing devices; basic ICT training for teachers
in association with private players; offering a safe online and physical
environment for children; and developing and accessing content for education
that can be used by our future generation.

It is the right time for the SAARC nations to speed up broadband penetration.
A connected school can provide the platform for the government's nation-building
efforts. But the government and operators need a long-term vision to make this a
reality. We must look at creating a SAARC level fund to steer the digital
literacy mission.

Baburajan K

baburajank@cybermedia.co.in