Now, Karnataka introduces e-slate for three ‘R’s’

Gone are the days when tiny tots were taught the three R’s—reading, ’riting (writing), ’rithmatic (arithmetic) — on fine sand or on palmleaf.

Gone are the days when tiny tots were taught the three R’s—reading, ’riting (writing), ’rithmatic (arithmetic) — on fine sand or on palmleaf. The chalk and slate succeeded the sand and, now in the digital world, the e-slate is about to make its entry.

The Karnataka State Literacy Mission Authority (KSLMA) has developed a new concept of e-slate for illiterates which will be launched this month-end. The State Literacy Mission has introduced “Baravva Kaliyakka”, a unique textbook for illiterates in 2002, where letters are memorised as images and learnt.

This is specially designed for adults and the textbook has 40 chapters. Commissioner of Adult Education and KSLMA Member Secretary K Shivram said the computer literacy software was designed on the basis of this textbook.

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Shivram said they were launching the system at all the 1,750 nodal centres across the state in the first phase.

“The concept is simple. With just a touchscreen, even an illiterate can learn to write,” he said. The mission people will also train “literacy seekers” for a week on how to use the screen, and later, they can learn letters on their own as the touchscreen is embedded with voice-over.

There will be one co-ordinator who will assist them to use the screen throughout the class. Claiming it to be first of its kind, Shivram said 50 delegates from nine countries were visiting Bangalore in early October to know about the concept. Sridhar Murthy, Bangalore District Literacy Mission Authority Secretary, said a few IT companies had come forward to donate computers to their centres.

“Intel and Infosys will donate 50 computers each to Bangalore district centres,” he told this paper.

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