Checklist for getting schools online

To get a school online means establishing a connection to the Internet. Connectivity for a school or community can mean many different things. Questions asked are: "Do you want students to be able to surf the Internet and send e-mail?" If that is the question, then there are a number of things to consider first. Below is a list of these things, given in an electronic article, entitled, Getting a School On-line in a Developing Country: Common Mistakes, Technology Options and Costs:

General Overview of Telecommunications Environment

• Total number of lines in country
• Telephone lines/100 inhabitants
• Types/speed of lines available in country (is data supported?)
• Are there x25 or frame relay services available?
• Percentage of digital exchanges in the country
• Competition in Telecommunications Sector

Open competition in Internet connectivity?

• Open competition in value-added services?
• Competition in fixed line service?
• Companies involved (by region, if appropriate):
• Competition in wireless service?
• Companies involved

Costs and Policy Environment

• What is the procedure for getting a telephone line installed?
• What is the typical waiting period for a new telephone line?
• What are the installation fees for telephone service?
• What are the fees for an additional telephone line?
• What are the monthly fixed charges for a phone line?
• Can the phone lines support data?
• What is the charge for a 3 minute local and regional call?
• What is the charge for installation of a 64 kps leased line over 10 km? 20km? 100km?
• What are the monthly leased line charges for a 64kps over 10km? 20km? 100km?
• What is duty on imported computers?
• What is the procedure to obtain a VSAT license?
• What regulations for establishing spread spectrum or other wireless connectivity solutions?
• Are there any other relevant policy-related implications for the World Links programme?

ISP Information

• Names of ISPs in the country and location of primary international link
• Capacity
• Speed of link to Internet
• Type of link to Internet
• Number of phone lines coming in
• Number of employees
• Wireless connectivity experience
• Nodes outside location of international link
• Communication software package
• Company reputation

Connectivity Costs

• Installation fee
• Monthly rate for unlimited dial-up Internet use
• Monthly rate for 64kps leased line use
• One hour of training per student in Internet basics
• Monthly rate for hosting web pages
• Monthly rate for hosting e-mail
• Number of users
• Number of private sector users
• Number of education sector users
• Are there any special rates for schools?
• What type of servers is the ISP running?
• What is the network software that is used?
• Do they support UUCP or gateway mail?
• What is the recommended platform for schools?

Equipment (include cost info)

• Names of local computer vendors
• Names of workstations that they sell and support
• Names of modems that they sell and support
• Surge suppressors that they sell and support
• Back-ups that they sell and support
• Ethernet cards that they sell and support
• Ethernet cable (cat 5) that they sell and support
• Printers that they sell and support (Deskjet, Laserjet)
• Other peripherals that they sell and support Network hubs that they sell and support
• Routers that they sell and support
• Generators that sell and support

Software

• Network software that they sell and support
• Do they offer technical training on network management?
• Workstation software that they sell and support
• Is the software available in the local language?
• Do they offer training on computer literacy?

Individual School Information

• Names of schools
• General information about school (including number of students, gender, type of school, subjects taught, number of grades/levels, number of teachers, number of administrators, school fees)
• Location (city, region, urban/rural)
• Access to electricity (already electrified? reliability of electricity? distance to electric grid? generators?)
• Number of phone lines (type of phone line, who has phone lines)
• Can the phone lines support data?
• Number and type of existing computers (include information on network configuration, network cards, printers, UPS systems, modems, other peripherals, and software)
• How are existing computers being used? By whom? If not, how will they be used, and by whom?
• Why does the school want to participate in the programme?
• Total number buildings on campus and number of floors
• Total number of classrooms in each building
• Is there a school library? (How big? Who administers it?)
• Total number of rooms to be connected
• Physical size of room to be connected
• Classroom quality (secure/safe, dry, dust-free)
• Electricity outlets
• Does the community on evenings/weekends use the school?
• Other relevant information

Human Resources

• What languages are spoken? Is English spoken/understood?
• Teachers familiar with computers
• Champions in school (teachers, administrators, other)
  Students familiar with computers
• Administrators familiar with computers
• How did students/teachers/administrators develop their computer knowledge?
• Is there a school computer club? Are there any extra-curricular activities? How are these activities funded?
• Is there a parent/teacher organisation? If so, what do they do?
• Who would be responsible for administering/monitoring the computer lab?
• Are there special environmental concerns? (Water/flooding/humidity, wind, heat, crime, insects)
• Other relevant information