Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE), the technical agency under the State General Education Department, which has been providing internet service in the public schools in the state through BSNL, is withdrawing from the scene.

KITE, which has been providing internet service to schools for one and a half decades, is withdrawing from the scene with the state government directing the schools to avail internet connection from its own firm Kerala Fiber Optic Network (KFON).

KITE CEO K Anwar Sadath, in a circular issued to the schools, made it clear that the BSNL broadband connection provided to schools via KITE will not be renewed after March 31. “We have been informed that the KFON connection has been provided to all schools. It is expected that the Internet will be available through this network from April itself. Even if issues crop up related to the KFON connection, KITE will be able to provide the internet to schools. There is no room for apprehension regarding it,” he said. It has also been directed that if the schools desired to continue with the connection, they can do it at their own expense.

However, it is still not clear when the KFON connection will be made available to schools, since the entity is yet to become fully functional. There are apprehensions that disconnecting the prevailing Net connection in schools in such a situation will affect the functioning of the schools. There is also uncertainty regarding establishing the KFON internet connection in schools before the start of the next academic year.

One broadband internet connection to schools is charged Rs 10,000 per year. If the schools decide to continue with the current connection, they will have to raise the money on their own for it.