Connectivity Providers Database

From: Don Richardson <drichard@uoguelph.ca> To: Multiple recipients of list <devmedia@ccshst06.cs.uoguelph.ca> Date: Wed, 6 Dec 1995 09:08:35 -0500 >I am forwarding this message on Don's behalf. Please reply to his address >and not mine. >Don Richardson > >---------- Forwarded message ---------- >Date: Wed, 6 Dec 1995 02:35:08 -0500 >From: don@mihikata.demon.co.uk > > >------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >Education for the disadvantaged > >by Don de Silva > >For the majority of the people in the world, the information >superhighway is no more than a by-pass. But an innovative >computer network to facilitate education among disadvantaged >established in Pakistan demonstrates that this need not be the case. >Entitled EDUNET, it is the first programme of its kind in South Asia. > >Based in Lahore, EDUNET is managed by a small team of dedicated >educators and computer specialists in Pakistan and has been created with >the assistance of the United Nations Development Programme's Sustainable >Development Networking Programme (SDNP). > >EDUNET started its operations early this year in Lahore and links a >number of state schools among disadvantaged communities in the city. > >EDUNET's partner organisation, Alif Laila, another innovative >education institute, also based in Lahore, has been providing computer >training for children from disadvantaged communities for the past several >years. > >Through EDUNET, users can participate in discussion forums and >conferences in either Urdu or English, and access massive database >containing information on variety of issues. EDUNET carries weekly >journals on computer technology and mailing lists of organisations >concerned with development issues. Users can also download shareware >computer programmes. > >In addition to these services, EDUNET offers electronic mail and >and access to several newsgroups throughout Pakistan. Through the >Internet services of UNDP's SDNP, users can access worldwide e-mail >facilities. > >There are heated debates in some of EDUNET's discussion forums. >Among the most popular is the one on the state of education in Pakistan. >Users can also suggest and create forums of topical concern. > >The database contains masses of text and graphics covering many >disciplines. The database is indexed and contains a brief >description of each article's placed on the service. A user can download >relevant material. > >Since its main emphasis is education, the database is designed >to be a source of teaching resource material for schools. Teachers >can find up-to-date information on subjects taught at all school levels. >EDUNET has a number of computers running as Compact Disc (CD) >servers. They contain reference sources, such as, information and >encyclopaedias, atlases, literature collections and dictionaries. > >Students raid the shareware programmes on games. >Schools communicate and exchange experiences. A user can tap into >mailing lists of resource persons on various issues and communicate >with a list member. > >Midhat Kazim, founder of EDUNET, believes that computer technology >can be used to benefit the disadvantaged communities. > >According to Midhat Kazim: "Only the financial elite of this country >are able to send their children to the better private schools and >the monetarily disadvantaged classes are left no choice but to either >leave their children illiterate or to have them 'educated' in >government and municipal schools." > >"A lot of blame is put on teachers of Government and municipal >corporation schools for not teaching properly and not performing >their duties honestly. It would be interesting to see how the people who >lay this blame would react when they themselves are put in a situation >where they have to teach non-stop, up to 6 periods a day to a class of >sometimes even a 100 bored and unruly children. After all, what >else would the children be, but bored and unruly when there is >absolutely no mental stimulation in their class. For them, it is only >the rod and a string of abuses from a frustrated teacher." > >EDUNET stirs the imagination of children to learn and gain knowledge. >At present, the Pakistan government spends large sums of money for >research to develop syllabi for government schools. Midhat Kazim believes that >EDUNET provides a channel for teachers throughout the country to pool >their resources and participate in developing syllabi and relevant >teaching materials without totting up huge costs. Teachers can also easily >up-date the material when needed. > >EDUNET blends will with Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's scheme to >provide computers to all government schools and make the information >highway accessible to Pakistan's general public. > >Don de Silva >dondes@mihikata.demon.co.uk >