Kannur, Kerala: The Kerala government has directed government schools to bear the cost of K-FON (Kerala Fibre Optic Network) internet connections, instructing them to renew their subscriptions and pay the bills if they wish to continue using the service.

The directive was issued by the Director of General Education to Deputy Directors of Education as the existing K-FON connections approach their renewal period. Schools have been asked to inform authorities whether they require the service, and those opting to continue must renew the connection at their own expense.

More than 6,000 government schools across Kerala currently use K-FON internet services. Although the service has never been free, schools had not been paying the bills until now, the communication from the Director of General Education noted.

K-FON was officially launched on June 5, 2023, to provide high-speed internet connectivity to government institutions, including schools, as part of the state's digital infrastructure initiative.

Concerns over impact on digital education

The K-FON project was introduced to strengthen digital education and streamline academic and administrative functions, student admissions, examination procedures, and uploading information to various government portals.

Some have expressed concern that the new directive places an additional financial burden on schools. They point out that teachers already spend significant amounts from their own pockets on teaching materials, office expenses, minor repairs and implementing various government schemes.

They argue that requiring schools to pay K-FON renewal charges and monthly internet bills could further strain already limited resources. There are also concerns that discontinuation of the service due to non-payment could disrupt the day-to-day functioning of schools, which now rely heavily on internet connectivity.

Malappuram tops K-FON connections

K-FON was launched with the objective of providing free internet access to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families while expanding digital connectivity across the state.

According to official figures, 1,47,485 K-FON connections have been provided across Kerala so far. Of these, 1,16,360 connections have been given to regular consumers and BPL households.

Malappuram has the highest number of K-FON connections at 31,352, followed by Kottayam (13,000), Kozhikode (12,792) and Ernakulam (11,879).

Additionally, 30,897 government offices have been connected to the K-FON network.