Seeds of e-Learning

How good is e-governance if citizens aren't computer literate? In a bid to make technology more relevant to the Indian rural population, Kerala's State IT Mission is determined to spread computer awareness.

Enter Malappuram. Albeit a backward area in Kerala, it has one of the highest density of computer-literate citizens in any district. With nearly 350 active e-kendras or computer education centers, to address more than 1,000 families, the district is proof of the success of Project Akshaya.

Kerala's department for IT is hard at work on information and communication technologies (ICT) initiatives, with an eye on its 6.5 million potential users. However, poor levels of computer literacy would render any e-governance plans ineffective.

The Akshaya initiative was launched in November 2002 primarily to address the need for e-literacy in India. This would simultaneously ensure connectivity and seek to create demand for computer services. The pilot project took off in Malappuram in 2004. And interestingly enough, since then, all the e-learning has begun with a computer game!

In the first hour of every computer class, learners across age groups use a mouse to move a basket on the screen and collect falling mangoes. Designed to improve mouse control and acquaint users with the hardware, the computer game makes the 15-hour training module fun and informative. "The computer classes got well accepted," says Anvar Sadath, manager (e-governance) of the Kerala State IT Mission. "We don't tell learners that they are using a mouse or a monitor. In time, they achieve a level of comfort with the computer. We then introduce them to the infinite possibilities of the Internet," smiles Sadath who is also the director for Akshaya.

The initiative had been envisioned to set up multipurpose community technology centers called e-kendras, and provide services to about 3,000 families. In the first phase, 500 such centers were set up. Apart from being computer education centers today, these are also active community centers that facilitate e-governance services.

The pilot in Malappuram evolved so because of public-private partnerships (PPP). Each center has five computers and other infrastructure installed at a cost of up to $10,000 per center, located within a 3-km radius of every household.

Furthering the IT Alphabet

The second phase of the initiative in July 2005 entailed building a wireless network to enable G2C, G2G, B2B and B2C services to complement the e-literacy plan. Around the same time, collection of utility bills as well as issue of documents related to tax, which were earlier done at FRIENDS (Fast, Reliable, Instant and Efficient Network for Disbursement of Services) centers, was integrated with Project Akshaya. Till date, about 1,200 centers have come up across the state. Six more districts are expected to be covered by the years end with the number of e-centers slated to touch 3,000.

Each Akshaya e-kendra is a self-sustaining unit with the computer literacy initiative as an assured source of revenue. To leverage commercial interest and attract investors, the government advertises details of the courses at the centers. The investments, as current operators point out, have not been huge, but the benefits are significant. K. Sakeer, an entrepreneur who set up an Akshaya e-kendra, invested $3,500. Another operator in Malappuram, K. Sethumadhavan, says: "I set up this center with the support of a bank apart from other borrowings."

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The government initially spent up to $1 million to create awareness among entrepreneurs and interested parties. Malappuram received an investment of $15,000, apart from the support of local bodies towards training operators. Further, the Kerala IT Mission has invested up to $1.2 million for software development. Each e-kendra employs up to 4 people, creating about 2,400 jobs. The project promises to attract more entrepreneurs.

The state government has taken active interest to create awareness, says Sadath. "We state the specifications of courseware and arrange IT melas. These are attended by software and hardware vendors; interested parties discuss the details and entrepreneurs buy what they need," he adds.

Computer literacy courses are subsidized by the government, which pays e-kendras $2 per citizen after the training. Apart from this, the trainee pays a fee of $1 to the e-kendra. "For scheduled and backward castes and tribes, the government undertakes the entire fee," says Sadath. The remaining infrastructure costs are borne by entrepreneurs. The course modules are provided by the Kerala IT Mission, which also oversees software development.

From the revenue generated, 10 cents per BSNL bill goes to the state government, which is passed on to the entrepreneur. For other utilities too, customers pay a service fee of 10 cents. "The transactions are very transparent. All payments are routed through our banking partner. The entrepreneur has fixed and overdraft accounts there. So, as soon as a payment is made, the amount is credited to the respective account," he adds.

The e-Knowledge Curve

Things appear organized today on the Akshaya front. But a politically-sensitive state like Kerala has the tendency to generate opposition against such ambitious e-government projects. Sadath agrees, "The challenges had more to do with changes in attitude. Initially, we faced a lot of opposition because the state is still fighting to provide clean drinking water and other basic amenities. So, there was a feeling that spending on computer education isn't justified." Public reluctance to attend the literacy program became a challenge. "Their question was: why should we learn computers?" he recalls.

The Akshaya team began to tackle these apprehensions after a series of meetings with stakeholders. Sadath attributes the success in convincing the public to the local bodies. "Governments at the local level took up the cause. Their members started campaigning, and we were able to carry out target-specific implementations," he explains. For instance, the IT Mission team made customized ICT programs for fishermen and farmers. Another barrier to change was language, for which the State IT Mission developed multimedia course formats in Malayalam.

In 2004, an Internet connection was something to dream about as there were 200,000 people on the waiting list for a BSNL landline connection. "So, we installed a robust IT infrastructure in Malappuram, The government spent $700,000, and it's now among the world's largest rural broadband networks," says Sadath. Without that, Akshaya may not have been so well-accepted today.

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During the first phase of the rollout, owners of the e-kendra also had a stake in ensuring continuous awareness of computer learning. "Kerala is one of the most aware states in India," asserts Sadath. "Parents are educated, and so they want their child to get better education. I informed people that without IT, everybody today is as good as illiterate," he explains. The support of locals, he adds, has been instrumental in increasing demand at e-centers.

With the first phase of Akshaya operational, the original plan did undergo changes. Initially, there was one e-kendra for every 1,000 families; now, each center caters to 2,500-3,000 families. The sustainability of the e-kendras is still in question, but the entrepreneur community in Kerala has taken the plunge. Technologically, almost all barriers have been overcome and the project is regarded a success.

Still, more than three years after the success of the pilot project, the number of e-centers has reduced to 345.

There are various reasons for this, says Sadath. "Almost 200 e-centers either closed down or have merged with the nearest centers," he points out. In real terms, six e-centers per local body area were not found to be sustainable. So, nearly 60 of them closed down. With 345 functional e-centers today, we have an average of three centers per local body, Sadath says.

An e-center provides a host of services today, including:

• E-payment: Citizens can pay bills of agencies like the state electricity board, BSNL, among others.
• E-krishi: Online posting of farmers' products, query from experts, a recommendation system for farmers, e-library, etcetera.
• Basic e-governance functions: Online complaint mechanisms with access to different authorities, printout facility for application forms from government websites, government data entry works like land record digitization, etcetera.
• Nationalized Banks' Digitization services: Signature scanning, data entry, and small software building.
• Computer courses: Windows and Linux, Malayalam version of MS Office called e-Vidhya, Linux-based applications, and MS-Office.
• Web development for social and commercial agencies.

Sakeer, one of the successful Akshaya entrepreneurs in Malappuram, says: "The challenge was lack of knowledge in the public about ICT. But, the response of the locals in Malappuram has been very good. In fact, I started making profits two years after setting it up."

However, Sethumadhavan thinks it's too early to expect profits. "The project is still at a nascent stage. When the central government launches ICT projects across the country, we will be the first state with e-literacy in all districts. Akshaya's maturity and experience in the area could then help make it profitable, he believes.

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Beyond e-Literacy

Going forward, Akshaya seeks to provide an even wider umbrella of services, in the expectation that Kerala will have at least five computers per village with minimum connectivity band of 256 MB. The infrastructure is in place; all it needs now is better utilization for citizenry.

Akshaya is ready to offer services, including an agriculture information system that provides a framework to connect farmers with public research institutions to share technical information and knowledge. Health data is also available to locals through dedicated kiosks.

Advanced computer courses on CDs for students from classes I to X, and resource CDs of IT@School programs are also becoming available at the e-kendras. In addition, there are counseling opportunities related to job and career prospects. Resource CDs on four major subjects - health, agriculture, education, acts/rules- in Malayalam are available at the e-kendras. As a second level to the basic computer education that the e-Kendra provides, the Computer Society of India issues merit certificates that are recognized by the Kerala government.

In addition to basic computers, there are courses for willing students in garment making and toy manufacture in association with the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad. This is aimed at providing self-employment opportunities to local women.

The e-learning project in a literate state like Kerala has brought definitive change in the way governance works, and Akshaya has a lot of momentum in its favor. Malappuram has at least one computer literate person in every home.

This offers a ripe opportunity to see how much difference IT can make in the lives of society, if used in a proper governance context. "In my view, I can make this facility indispensable for society. IT has ensured that they get all services here, including consumer goods," notes entrepreneur Sethumadhavan.

"Akshaya has become a nodal center for development of our people's standard of living," he adds. Advanced online learning for employment like medical transcription will start soon at Sethumadhavan's center. "I can make my village one of the first digital villages, and assure speedy and transparent services from government offices. A first step that I intend to take is to create a local body portal for our people," he says.

It is such enthusiasm among entrepreneurs that could ensure the efficacy of e-govern projects. After all, IT is merely an enabler of lofty ambitions.