[PLUG] An Important News Regarding FOSS

[Sudhanwa Jogalekar]

Well done Milind !!
Keep up the good work !!!

Regards
-Sudhanwa



On Wed, May 3, 2017 at 1:15 PM, Milind Oka <oak445 at gmail.com> wrote:

>
> Hi all,
>
> In reply to my letter, SSC/HSC board had assured to implement the open
> source policy in School Education. (Letter dated 19-05-2016)
> They only put footnotes in Syllabus that "open source software can be used
> in the ICT".  Of course convincing Schools
> and Jr Colleges to adopt FOSS only on this letter and footnote would not
> have been possible. So I called it as "Symbolic Exit of Microsoft".
>
> But I am too happy to inform you that on 1 July 2016 a proper circular was
> released which instructs schools and Jr colleges to prefer FOSS in clear
> words.
> I came to know about it through an HT article (Thanks to Dr Kamath, and to
> Prof Tayyab Ali for pointing out this article). Consequently "Maharashtra
> Times" published another one.
>
> I suppose this clears the most important hurdle in proliferation of FOSS.
>
> I take this opportunity to congratulate State Board for taking this
> decision in favor of FOSS.
>
> Links for two news paper articles and the circular :
>
> http://www.mediafire.com/view/4nqamkqxy2ps03i/HT-1-5-17.jpg
> http://www.mediafire.com/view/f4nhepll68s8fyy/MATA-2-5-17.jpg
> http://www.mediafire.com/file/a6410kf396tkuyl/Board_
> Circular_-_1_July_2016.pdf
>
> Thanks and Regards
> Milind
>
> Forwarding old thread for reference :
>
> -------- Forwarded Message --------
> Subject: Exit Of Microsoft from School Education ?
> Date: Wed, 01 Jun 2016 10:24:19 +0530
> From: Milind Oka <oak445 at gmail.com> <oak445 at gmail.com>
> To: plug-mail at plug.org.in
>
> Hi,
>
> On 27 may 2016, Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary
> Education has given a reply to my notice. Maharashtra State Board was
> neglecting Open Source directives given by MHRD. Though the Circular in
> this regard was issued, it was published in the education booklet "Shikshan
> Sankraman" !. The circular as Important as this, which could have saved
> huge amounts for Schools, must have been given to Schools directly and it
> must have been given wide publicity in major news papers.
>
> The Board's claim that by putting a note - "Schools and Colleges can use
> Open Source Software" on index page, they have followed directions given by
> MHRD is ridiculous. In the remaining pages of the reply, Board has given
> photocopies copies of the changes they have made in 2016-17 text books to
> be printed soon, and they have clarified further that Open Source can be
> used in "Theory as well as in Practicals" which is very important.
>
> Note that MHRD has used the word "PREFER" while Board is cleverly using
> "CAN"  !
>
> Anyway, I assume that this is only a symbolic exit of Microsoft from
> State's Schools Education.
>
> This covers State Schools and Junior Colleges in Maharashtra. But
> University Education too is compelling degree colleges to use proprietary
> software. Situation is somewhat better in Engineering courses but in the
> courses such as Computer Applications (TYBcom), there are softwares like MS
> Excel and Visual Basic. Also there are direct questions in the examination
> on the commands used in Excel and VB. I am going to send similar letter to
> Mumbai University too.
>
> Also the course  MS-ACIT has been made mandatory for teachers. This course
> is exclusively an advertisement of Microsoft and other other proprietary
> software. Since after removing proprietary software from school. This
> course, which itself is a violation of MHRD notification, becomes
> meaningless for teachers. Hence appropriate changes are necessary in this
> course curriculum. We have to follow this matter in Education Department.
>
> I request all to help Schools in Maharashtra aware of the purpose and
> significance of this change and make open source movement stronger.
> Otherwise it will remain only on paper.
>
> http://www.mediafire.com/view/seufdy593ocbaiu/Notice_To_SSC-HSC_Board.jpg
> http://www.mediafire.com/view/uccych8u0hnqt6g/Notice_To_SSC-
> HSC_Board_%28Reply%29.jpg
> http://www.mediafire.com/download/nouxfd9a1hxnwd4/MHRD_
> -_Remove_Microsoft.pdf
>
>
> -- Milind
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> plug-mail mailing list
> plug-mail at plug.org.in
> http://list.plug.org.in/listinfo/plug-mail
>
>


-- 

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!
web: www.sudhanwa.com  blog: www.sudhanwa.in
Twitter: sudhanwa Check on FB, Linkedin for more.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://list.plug.org.in/pipermail/plug-mail/attachments/20170505/63e7dffe/attachment.html>