Well done Milind !! Keep up the good work !!! Regards -Sudhanwa
On Wed, May 3, 2017 at 1:15 PM, Milind Oka <oak...@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 <oak...@gmail.com> <oak...@gmail.com> > To: plug-mail@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@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.
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