In an era where digital literacy is just as important as traditional education, Kerala’s pioneering program, ‘Little KITEs’, serves as a light of hope and success. This documentary delves into the history, effect, and future of this transformative initiative intended at providing teenagers with future-ready skills.
A recent UNICEF India research hailed Kerala’s digital education initiatives (EdTech) as an example for other Indian states, as well as middle-income and developed countries.
The report, titled “Empowering Adolescents with Future-Ready Skills -The Inspiring Story of Little KITEs,” was published in Thiruvananthapuram.
Rani George IAS, Principal Secretary of the General Education Department received the Study report from Pramila Manoharan, UNICEF India Educational Specialist, in the presence of Pinarayi Vijayan, Kerala Chief Minister and V Sivankutty, Minister for General Education & Labour.
Recognizing the importance of digital inclusion in education, Kerala established the ‘Little KITEs’ program in 2018 as part of its Public Education Rejuvenation Mission.This effort focuses on high school students (Grades 8, 9, and 10) in approximately 2,000 government and aided schools around the state. The major goal is to provide pupils with digital skills, thereby developing a new generation capable of navigating and creating the future technological landscape.
The COVID-19 epidemic highlighted the significance of a strong digital infrastructure in education.
Schools around the world faced unprecedented challenges, leaving many pupils without access to education.’Little KITEs’ has helped to mitigate such disruptions by giving students with the tools and skills they need to complete their education remotely.
‘Little KITEs’ is aligned with UNICEF’s Life Skills Framework and focuses on critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, cooperation, and communication. The program’s curriculum covers advanced areas such as IoT, AI, Robotics, 3D Animation, Multimedia, Language Computing, Electronics, and Mobile App Development. This complete approach ensures that students are not only technologically adept, but also possess critical life and socio-emotional skills.
Since its beginning, Little KITEs has served over 1.8 million kids, making it India’s largest ICT student network. The program has received numerous accolades, including the ‘Best Innovation Project’ award in 2022. A noteworthy milestone was the collaboration announced in September 2022 between Kerala’s KITE and Finland’s Education Department, which aims to implement the ‘Little KITEs’ concept in Finnish schools.
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