Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE) has restructured its ‘Hi-school Kuttikkuttam’ programme under the banner ‘Little KITE’s IT Clubs, networking over one lakh students in 2,500 schools. It has now become the largest ICT network of students in the country. The KITE on Tuesday invited online applications from schools to register in the unique initiative.
“The Hi-School Kuttikkuttam experience was encouraging and there was tremendous response from the students, which made us restructure the functional model to that of a Student Police Cadet, which is more structured and focused,” Mr K. Anvar Sadath, vice-chairman and executive director, KITE, told Deccan Chronicle. Apart from the five sectors like Animation, Hardware, Electronics, Malayalam Computing and Cyber Safety, announced earlier, more topics have been added to the activity bouquet of ‘Little KITEs.
The government has mandated two teachers with interest and commitment as heads of Little KITES IT Clubs in schools. They are now undergoing special training, said Mr Sadath. The students of eighth standard can apply for the membership in Little KITES, who would be chosen through an aptitude test to be held in March. As many as 20 to 40 students from each school can be part of Little KITES. The student members would be given special training for at least four hours a month without affecting the school activities by making use of holidays. The performance of the student members would be evaluated at the year-end and they would be awarded certificates with grades of A,B or C.
KITE will provide financial assistance to schools towards the activities of the IT clubs. The clubs which fail to perform well would be de-recognised. Students who are not part of any other clubs, but show interest in IT would be given preference to be members of Little KITES, said Mr Sadath. “We will include professionals, technologists and enterprises to fuel Little KITEs,” said Mr Sadath. The schools can register for the Little KITEs Clubs on www.kite.kerala.gov.in till February 24. All relevant documents such as the GO, circular, are on the website.
