The district administration on Friday rolled out e-jagrata, a novel training initiative to ensure safe, secure and effective Internet usage for school children.
Revenue Principal Secretary P.H. Kurian inaugurated the project being run with the help of Tata Consultancy Services.
He said that a Rs. 17.50-crore project aimed at enhancing the Internet literacy by deploying student police would be implemented within a couple of years.
Kerala was leaping ahead in digital literacy, which used to be exclusive domain of metro cities in the country, he said. Mr. Kurian also released a pamphlet detailing the project.
Things had reached a stage where 60 per cent of the families in the State were Internet users. But there was a tendency to just copy the usage pattern of others, which was not a safe option. The need was for ensuring a more secure use of Internet, he said. Such initiatives could not be taken forward only by the government and more companies should adopt the cooperation and support being extended by TCS for the e-jagrata project.
He also emphasised the need for more safe and secure net banking and online purchase.
The programme, steered by the district administration in collaboration with TCS, is spearheaded by District Collector Mohammed Y. Safirulla, who was director of the State IT Mission before assuming charge as Ernakulam Collector.
The programme, conceived with a focus on the safe use of the Internet, will be implemented in 101 government higher secondary schools in Ernakulam, Aluva, Kothamangalam and Muvattupuzha education districts in the first phase. The programme is a brainchild of Mr. Safirulla.
The programme will lay thrust on the legal consequences of violating the cyber laws.
