February 1, 2012: Incorporating computer-based learning into the education of needy children in developing countries can be costly, but it is key to preparing students for today’s jobs.
At an SOS school at SOS Children’s Villages in Bharatpur, Nepal (one of eight SOS Schools in Nepal), SOS has equipped teachers with new computer technology that is cutting costs while enabling more efficient teaching and learning.
Called School in a Box, the Microsoft system allows a classroom teacher to use one computer that connects to multiple individual student work stations in the room. Through that computer, the teacher can access what each student is doing, broadcast her own or any student’s screen to the others, and grade students’ computer-based work and exams.
The relatively new software, which is cloud-based, is very economical. “One does not have to worry about maintenance of several different pieces of expensive hardware equipment. It’s brought our [technology] costs down by 50 percent,” said Seetaram Subedi, IT coordinator of SOS Children’s Villages-Nepal.
Quality Education Part of the SOS Mission
Schooling boys and girls is a central element of the SOS mission to save vulnerable children and prepare them for productive lives. In regions of the world where children have access to decent schools, SOS sends the children it raises to local educational institutions.
For kids in SOS Children’s Villages or those whose families are part of SOS Family Strengthening Programs, SOS provides school fees, uniforms, and other materials to enable children to attend these schools.
In poor nations like Nepal where educational infrastructures are weak, SOS builds its own schools, where children from SOS Villages and surrounding neighborhoods benefit from a quality education and exposure to information technology. From kindergartens to high schools and vocational centers, SOS creates classrooms that are often considered model schools in the countries where they are located.
Excitement in the Classroom
Because SOS always seeks to improve education while keeping costs down, the School in the Box system, which includes Windows 7 and Microsoft Office 2010, is an important enhancement.
Both SOS teachers and pupils at SOS-Bharatpur are thrilled with the richer experience the technology has brought them. “The software is state of the art,” beamed one teacher. Students entering the classroom with the new computer system were thrilled to see how it works.
“We will make all efforts to maintain the quality of this service so that every child in SOS Children’s Village can access the best and latest educational aids,” said school principal Ganga B. Gurung.
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