192 Entries for “Recent Blogs”
March 16, 2008 | Program Updates | OLE Nepal
Huge disparities in quality of education and access to education characterize the Nepali school system. Schools in rural areas, mostly government-run, compare poorly to schools in the cities. These government schools not only suffer because of the digital divide, but also lack the quality in teaching and tools to enhance the learning process. In fact, forget the "Digital Divide." The "Quality Divide" between "school-haves" and "school have-nots" is far more pressing. As the majority of students at primary and secondary level attend government schools, these discrepancies translate to poor outcomes and low quality of education. Thus, it is important to introduce reforms that aim to not only provide equal opportunity for education but also to improve the overall quality of education for all. But how to achieve this goal? It is a daunting task, especially for a developing nation like Nepal, to consider radical changes to its educational policies. I believe that Nepal can use Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to improve the quality of education and expand access to education. OLPC, along with e-libraries, open-courseware, and other initiatives, can radically enhance the quality of education in Nepal.
March 14, 2008 | Program Updates | Rabi Karmacharya
We had a meeting yesterday at the Department of Education with teachers from the two pilot schools, officials from the Department of Education, and OLE Nepal. The meeting was also attended by an official from the District Education Office where the pilot is being launched. Seven teachers and administrators from Bashuki School and Biswamitra School pledged their support and cooperation, and ensured full participation from all stakeholders including school administration and school management committee. They were visibly pleased that the Department had picked their schools to pilot the project.
Feb. 29, 2008 | Team Reflections | OLE Nepal
Luke's time at OLE Nepal has been nothing short of transformative. Since arriving in September 2007, he has played a crucial role in shaping the technical direction of our project, helping us navigate the challenge of rapidly developing engaging learning activities for children.
Feb. 21, 2008 | Team Reflections | OLE Nepal
We lost electricity for a period this afternoon and found ourselves at a loss without Internet access. Om ji kindly volunteered his camera for some team photos. Since the OLE Nepal team spends so much time together and has come so far, it was the perfect moment to document how much we've grown. With Nepal's OLPC pilot set to start on April 13th, we have a lot of work ahead of us.
Feb. 18, 2008 | None | OLE Nepal
We are very excited to have two new volunteers working with us to advance the OLPC project in Nepal. They come from very different backgrounds but share a common goal: to improve education for the world's poorest children. And, of course, they are also excited to work with cutting-edge technology.