AP Schools Get Low Cost Educational PCs

Andhra Pradesh has been known to be a progressive state when it comes to implementing latest technology for state welfare. As part of its latest endeavor, the state govt has deployed a massive computerization project for government schools in just four months.

However, the real feather in the cap is the innovation in technology that has made this possible. The project employs a shared computing model using NComputing’s desktop virtualization technology. The premise behind the technology is that today’s PCs are so powerful that the vast majority of users only use a small fraction of the computer’s capacity. Especially, while using it to run simple tasks. In the setup, there are several sets of keyboards, mice and monitors connected to an NComputing device that later connects to a shared PC.

Reports suggest that each one of the students connected, gets full PC experience. Devices are supposed to be easy to install. Moreover, it uses only 1 W of power! The project is currently used to teach students computer skills, office productivity tools such as spreadsheets and word processing, and subjects such as mathematics.

The systems run on the Microsoft Windows Server operating system and uses the Microsoft Office Suite. The project succeeded in facilitating computer access to 1.8 million students across the state, many of whom have probably never even touched a computer. The project is also a success story for the government’s new public private partnership model, where successful partnerships have been formed to achieve transparency, accountability and efficiency.