Now, high schools to log on to computer course

CUTTACK: High School education under the State Board would finally have computer education in its curriculum, though as a peripheral player.Waking up to the urgent need of modernising the school education system and making it relevant, the Board of Secondary Education (BSE) is set to introduce an independent course in computer science in Classes IX and X.The two-year certificate course would be launched in the academic year 2011-12 across schools that have come forward to include it in their system. The course, designed by the Syllabus Committee of the Board, would offer fundamental education on computer while preparing the students for higher programmes in IT.The course would have four papers with two each in Classes IX and X covering the basics like MS DOS, Office, internet and other operations before progressing to comprehensive “C” Programming and Networking training. There would be annual examinations in each class with the option of having back papers. The Board would issue certificates at the end of the course to the successful students.“The aim is to make students computer-literate which is most essential in today’s circumstances.Having knowledge of computers and basic programming will make them more competitive and confident while pursuing higher education,” said BSE president Satyakam Mishra.The course, however, would not be compulsory for students.It would be a self-financing subject with fees decided by individual schools. The classes would be held beyond normal school hours and marks achieved in it would have no bearings on the HSC or class examination result.The schools have already been provided with computers and infrastructure under different government programmes.They would have to appoint teachers on contractual basis on the qualification criteria decided by the Board. “High School students are now going to different other institutions to learn computer. The one offered by the Board would have more credibility and acceptance among them,” Mishra said.Interestingly, the high school education under the State Board does not have a subject in computer science in its normal curriculum even as other schools have integrated IT as a subject from early stage. The main reason is the Government has not sanctioned any post for computer teacher in any school as yet. As a result, the majority of the students in the State are deprived of one of the most essential subjects of today.