The new updated operating system can be used in three lakh computers in public schools in Kerala, says K. Anvar Sadath, CEO, KITE.
| Photo Credit: THULASI KAKKAT
Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE), the largest IT grouping of schoolchildren in the country, will launch the new free and open source software-based (FOSS) operating system (OS) suite KITE GNU Linux 22.04 here on Friday (August 23, 2024) when a two-day State-level camp for Little Kites is inaugurated.
A total of 130 selected from among 1,200 students, who attended the district-level Little KITEs camp will participate in the programme organised at the KITE Regional Resource Centre, Edappally.
K. Anvar Sadath, CEO, KITE, said the new operating system, an updated 80.04 version, can be used in three lakh computers in public schools in Kerala. Minister for General Education V. Sivankutty will launch the new OS suit.
Wide use
The operating system has wide use as it can be deployed freely as a complete computing platform not only for information and communication technologies learning in schools but also for students and teachers as well as for general purposes on computers used at homes, government offices, DTP centres, printing presses, software development companies and by engineering college students.
The new version of the operating system was developed using the Wayland system instead of xorg window mechanism currently used in the operating systems in the schools, Mr. Sadat added.
The OS suite is a customised version of Ubuntu, the popular free and open source software operating system and comprises applications such as GCompris, Tux Paint, PictoBlox, Traffic game, Waste challenge, Omnitux, EDU Activate, PhET, GeoGebra, Libre Office package, Colour Paint, Scratch, Krita.
Given that artificial intelligence (AI) has been included as part of the ICT textbook for Class VII from this year on, the new OS also includes tools to gain basic understanding of concepts related to AI, machine learning, computer vision, and more.
The new OS also features elaborate systems for Malayalam computing, Ebook reader, desktop publishing software, graphics and image editing software, sound recording and video editing tools, 3D animation packages, screen recording and broadcasting tools, database servers and applications and desktop version of mobile apps.
₹3,000 crore saved
KITE schools have laptops that utilise entirely free software, replacing the previously licensed software used for courses in higher secondary schools and for National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF) job roles at the vocational higher secondary level in public education. This has resulted in a saving of ₹3,000 crore from two lakh computers, which attracted international attention, Mr. Sadath added.
He said KITE will provide training for all school IT coordinators for installing the new operating system in all computers in schools.
The new OS suite can be freely downloaded from the download link in the website of KITE (www.kite.kerala.gov.in) from August 23.
After the inauguration and launch of the new operating system, Industries Minister P. Rajeeve will interact with the students participating in the camp, said a communication from the Public Relations department here.
An exhibition of products developed by the students in the areas of animation and robotics, among others, will also be held.