Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji (SR)

Panaji, Jul 15: The late chief minister Manohar Parrikar, fifteen years back, had introduced cyberage scheme, under which, free laptops were provided to Class XI students in the state. This scheme is set to be revamped and is now under consideration whether schools themselves can be equipped with more computers and laptops.

The late CM had stated that some students were found selling laptops provided to them under the scheme online at a higher price and it was because of this that a decision was taken that students should not be given ownership of the laptop, which led to the idea of revising the cyberage scheme. Parrikar, during his last term as CM, had suggested that the cyberage scheme be revised hence the distribution of laptops to students under the scheme is currently on hold pending revision.

The late CM had given two suggestions to revise the scheme- one, that the students hand back the laptops to the schools once they complete their higher secondary schooling, and the second, that the laptops provided to the students be done away with and the funds used to upgrade school computer laboratories instead.

The government is now considering implementing the second option in the revised cyberage scheme. As reported in TOI, an official in the decision making authority said, “With around 10 or so computers on an average in their labs, schools themselves do not have sufficient computers. One suggestion is that the computers or laptops be provided to the schools. This will serve the purpose as the aim of the scheme ultimately is that each student should get to handle a computer.”

Sources told TOI that officials are not keen on the idea of allotting laptops to students and then storing them in the school, as at present, most schools do not have storage facilities.