First ever laptop program in Karnali Province!
September 2019 | Lalitpur and Jajarkot
Deployment preparation
XO Laptops for program schools in Jajarkot were delivered to OLE Nepal office in Sanepa, Lalitpur on the second week of September. After checking the physical status of laptops on arrival, our technical team configured the software and installed the curriculum based interactive learning software (E-Paath) along with other learning resources on them.
Other preparations for the Jajarkot deployment included testing of servers, routers and network related equipment by our technical team. Our team loaded digital library repository containing more than 7,500 textbooks, audiobooks, audio-video materials, Wikipedia and other educational related material onto mini computers for each school. These equipment were handed to the respective schools along with the laptops after the training program in Jajarkot.
Two teaching residents were selected and trained for the ‘Teaching with Technology Residency Program’ in Jajarkot. Residents were trained for two weeks at OLE Nepal office covering technical and pedagogical aspects of the laptop program in Jajarkot. In pedagogy, they were trained on lesson plan preparation to classroom management for effective integration of digital resources in teaching-learning process, while the technical aspect covered basic troubleshooting technique on laptops, router, E-Pustakalaya server. Residents will spend 5 months in Jajarkot after the launch of the laptop program. They will travel to all 12 schools to provide support to teachers and students as they transition into technology integrated teaching-learning environment.
List of program schools in Jajarkot:
- Bhanubhakta Basic School, Nalgad Municipality-4, Laha
- Deurali Basic School, Kushe Rural Municipality-4, Archhani
- Ganesh Basic School, Nalgad Municipality-5, Labisha
- Himalaya Bhanubhakta Basic School, Kushe Rural Municipality-4 Tangachaur
- Kalika Basic School, Nalgad Municipality-2, Gari
- Kalika Basic School, Kushe Rural Municipality-5, Jahargaun
- Malika Basic School, Kushe Rural Municipality-8 Chera
- Mahadev Basic School, Nalgad Municipality-9, Gharanga
- Lekbashi Basic School, Nalgad Municipality-8, Manmai
- Putali Basic School, Kushe Rural Municipality-6, Chharagaun
- Ramchandra Basic School, Kushe Rural Municipality-5, Panchkattya
- Tribhuvan Basic School, Nalgad Municipality-7, Dalli
Here are few photos from deployment preparations in OLE Nepal office:
Basic Teacher Training completed
OLE Nepal’s team of four trainers and two technical staff successfully completed initial teacher training for 48 teachers from 12 schools in Jajarkot. The training was held on September 14-21, 2019, and conducted in two parallel sessions, each including teachers from 6 schools. The training for schools from Kuse Rural Municipality was held in Khalanga, and for Nalgad Municipality in Tribhuvan Basic School, Dalli.
The training program included presentations, interactions, hands-on activities, practice teaching, and planning exercises to prepare teachers to successfully conduct technology-integrated classes. Representatives and Educational officials from local government were present during the opening and closing ceremony of training.
Photos from training program in Jajarkot:
Laptop deployment and survey
After completing the teacher training program, our technical team with teaching residents set up laptops and E-Pustakalaya (digital library) servers at 6 schools of Nalgad Municipality in Jajarkot. During the visit, the team also checked the solar power systems that were installed by contribution from the local government. The team has to verify that these solar panels and battery-back-up systems met the specifications and functional requirements for the program. They also briefed the teachers on basic operation and handling of the equipment such as solar batteries, inverters, solar panels and other related system in the respective program schools.
Baseline survey was conducted at each school after setting up the lab. The main purpose of the survey was to assess the students’ learning achievement before the introduction of digital literacy program in the schools. Survey of students was based on the subjects and grades. Around 12 to 15 students from grade 2 to 4 were chosen randomly for the survey in English, science and math subjects. The result of this survey will be compared against the midline survey, which will be conducted a year after the introduction program in the school. This will help us to understand the impact of the program in the students and schools.
Here are some photos from the deployment:
The laptops and network related equipment of remaining six schools of Kuse Rural Municipality were handed over to the respective schools. The installation at these schools will be carried out once they resumed classes after the holidays in October.
Program schools in Jajarkot