A Tale of Two Schools OLPC NEPAL

Inside a Rural Classroom

Inside Ullens

Teachers

Students

Special Challenges For Rural Students

Special Challenges For Students

Special Challenges For Students

The “Quality Divide” These Two Schools represent the Quality Divide in Nepali education Is There any way to bridge this divide?

Looking for a Solution In 2001, a group of American Educators formed to find solutions that could bridge the Quality Divide in the Developing World Requirements for these solutions 1.Child-centered, Interactive 2.Could be customized to Local Language and Customs 3.Inexpensive 4.Help Children “Learn Learning”

One Laptop Per Child In 2002, this group approached Nicholas Negroponte of the MIT Media Lab In 2005, they announced the One Laptop Per Child Project

One Laptop Per Child OLPC designed a durable, inexpensive laptop computer specifically for children in developing countries Laptop is simply a medium for education like books, laboratories, toy blocks, etc.

What makes this Laptop so special? Designed for Children Low Power Durable, Robust, Climate protected, and contains only safe, non-toxic materials Children can use the laptop to collaborate Free software and content based on “Open Source” principles

A Solution for Nepal

We believe that together 1. Digitized national curriculum 2. OLPC “XO” Laptops 3. Extensive teacher training Can bridge the Quality Divide

A Solution for a New Nepal Extends the reach of Nepal's strong curriculum and teacher training program Mother Tongue Education

OLPC Progress and Strategy

Participating Countries Countries piloting OLPC in Summer 2007 Countries to pilot in 2008 UAE is committed to purchasing 1 Million laptops for Pakistan

Implementation This project can only succeed with the full support and leadership of the MoES and Dept of Education. To participate, the MoES and Dept. of Education need to indicate their interest to OLPC –There is no minimum order requirement

OLPC Nepal A Non-Profit Organization dedicated to helping the Government of Nepal implement the One Laptop Per Child vision Initiated by Shankar Pokharel and Ankur Sharma while at Nepal Engineering College

But Nepal is a poor country, why do kids need laptops? This project is not about technology It is about providing every child in Nepal with access to the national curriculum in the most appropriate and effective forms We have a number of measures to discourage the theft and sale of the laptops

Costs 1. Teacher Training 2. Digitization of Curriculum 3. Implementation Support 4. Laptops This project will require extensive Teacher Training and Support

Financing Laptop expected to last Five Years $100 over 5 years -- $20 per year InterAmerican Development Bank (IADB) financing OLPC for Argentina and Brazil UAE purchasing 1 million laptops for Pakistan

Possible Next Steps 1)Create a government Task Force to pursue One Laptop Per Child 2)Digitize and Improvise the Government Curriculum for this laptop and future ICT initiatives 3)Implement Mother Tongue Education Initiatives 4)Include the digitized curriculum and laptop in next year's pilot of the three year education plan

DEMONSTRATION

Questions and Answers