Kerala: Government Says Schools to Use FOSS

The Kerala government has decided to introduce Free and Open Source software (FOSS) in schools.

Unlike proprietary software which involves copyright restrictions, FOSS is freely licensed and can therefore be used, distributed and changed as per individual needs and wishes. Besides reducing software costs, FOSS also ensures better security and stability of software and gives the user more control over their hardware.

Though IT had become a compulsory subject in schools in 2003, the introduction of FOSS started only in 2005, in a phased manner. Presently, the decision to introduce it in the higher secondary sector has also been completed.

K. Anwar Sadath, executive director IT@School, is reported to have said that in addition to significantly cutting down costs for the government, the use of FOSS ensures ethical usage of software. Free Software license could put not only the students and teachers, but also the general public, in a position to copy, distribute and use the software as per their wish.