Bhubaneswar, Sept 5: Tribal students will shortly have access to 86 computer labs across the state. The SC and ST development department will set up these labs.

The first lab was inaugurated today at the Tapoban High School near Khandagiri.

The project — Setting up computer labs and providing computer education in ST and SC development department-run schools — aims to set the facility at select high schools

Apart from providing computers, the department will also engage instructors in each school to provide guidance.

A detailed computer syllabus for classes VIII to X will be prepared.

“The department will ensure that each of the students under coverage acquires minimum computer skills. Regular feedback will be taken regarding the students’ learning level and schools will be asked to submit monthly progress reports,” said secretary of the department Santosh Kumar Sarangi.

“The objective of the project is to upgrade IT infrastructure of the department in schools by setting up computer labs to provide better knowledge of computer to students from classes VIII to Class X,” said minister of ST and SC department Lal Bihari Himirika, who inaugurated the lab.

The department has adopted the shared computing model, in which, one server, loaded with the required set of applications and software, is shared with a minimum of 10 workstations or nodes.

The department has also proposed 11 English language laboratories,which are likely to start operating by July next year.

The labs will come up at 11 Ekalavya Model Residential Schools at many districts across the state. Each lab will cover approximately 420 students from Class VI to XII.

Every school will be provided with a language lab that will have all the equipment necessary for language training, a senior official of the department said.