Interest Mounts for Excelling ‘Local Languages’ Oriented Low Cost IT Lab in Eritrea

Edtech lab members after their project presentation. Notice the 3D printed orange piece - Credit: Andrẻs

Interest Mounts for Excelling ‘Local Languages’ Oriented Low Cost IT Lab in Eritrea

By Jemal Idris A.

To tackle language barrier and to catalyze cost reduction in purchasing and maintenance of computers for Eritrean students, IT undergraduate from Eritrea Institute of Technology contribution in programming an integrated system in local languages inspires nationals glance.

This computer system requires 80% lower power and cost than the current system. Encompassed a collection of web and system application that facilitate educational curriculum, the computers are made from the raspberry pi 3 board, and, additionally, with wave share portable screen.

Loaded with a version of Linux, which is translated to local languages for easy use and increasing its effectiveness, about 60% of the current system is translated to Tigrigna. This include system application, various software packages and educational games. Most of the packages are modified to include local language support.

This lab is designed with much attention given to current equipment available in the Eritrean education system thus can be used with only replacing the defective system units, which are the main problems according to the research conducted in various schools of the country. The system can operate at a location with no conventional power supply using solar lantern available in many household at current times. These computers are designed for, and synchronized with, low cost equipment, which are fault tolerant.

Currently, therefore, there are two models available, one with no screen as a replacement for the system units in established lab with problems in hardware equipment. The other, a portable model, is also enormously low power consuming and with low cost apparatus. According to the students, the latter is more suitable for schools in remote location and use at homes.

With aims for armoring the achieved excellences of their efforts, the students assert that this new ‘low cost low power lab’ would expand the horizon of Eritrean students if endeavors put into effect thus to produce more computers of the prototype.

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Jemal Idris A. is a freelance writer in culture and art, you can contact him Jidris192@gmail.com

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