Seeking to make future generation IT empowered, the Kerala IT Department is launching two projects in schools which will help create a pool of skilled IT professionals, electronics geeks and technology entrepreneurs.

Second phase of the Learn to Code project and a pioneering Electronics@School programme will be launched at a function inaugurated by the Chief Minister Oommen Chandy here tomorrow, state Minister for IT and Industries P K Kunhalikkutty told a press meet here today.

As many as 7,500 school children will get Raspberry Pi palm computer kits as part of the Learn to Code project, a joint endeavour of Kerala Start-up Mission and Kerala’s IT@School project, he said.

“Along with the government schools, aided and unaided schools have also been included in the second phase,” he said.

In the pilot phase, launched by the Chief Minister in February, 2,500 selected students of class eight were given Raspberry Pi kits and trained in programming by IT experts in all the district centres.

The Raspberry Pi is a low cost, credit-card sized computer that plugs into a display unit (computer monitor or TV) and uses a standard keyboard and mouse.

“Chief Minister will also give away prizes tomorrow to winners of the coding competition held as part of the pilot project. The selected students from the competition will get an opportunity to exhibit their projects at the venue,” he said.

Education Minister P K Abdu Rabb will launch the Electronics @ School project in the same function and distribute colour-coded training kits for hands-on training in basic electronics to selected children.

“This year government will distribute 6,000 Electronics kit to various Schools across the State. The Electronics Kit is aligned with the Physics curriculum of classes 9 and 10,” Kunhalikkutty added.