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Open source in schools could save the taxpayer billions
March 04, 2008
Posted by: John Spencer
In a 2005 report the Government quango Becta showed that schools could effect considerable savings by making use of Free Open Source software such as Open Office. In their study they simply looked at “like for like” software replacement using existing networks and computers.
Since this study we have seen the emergence of the new breed of ultra-portable Linux-based computers aimed squarely at the education sector and the inexorable build of Web 2 services such as Google Apps.
This week the Elonex One, a Linux-based laptop costing less than £100, was launched at the Education Show in Birmingham causing much excitement amongst the visitors and a very serious discussion about how best to support this new breed of Linux laptops in schools.
So much has changed so quickly that a model of Open Source school computing is emerging which could save the UK taxpayer billions of pounds and provide enormous opportunities for the home-grown technology sector based around Open Source software.
The problem
The Government does not produce figures for the total cost of ICT in schools. Our research shows however that when staffing and power use are included a typical secondary school will spend between £100,000 - £200,000 per year on ICT.
Scale this figure for the whole UK and it approximates to over £½ billion per year.
Contrary to common perception, however, only a small fraction of the cost of ICT in schools is spent on computers and software - 60% of the cost is on technical support and 20% on electricity.
Quite simply, school networks have become too complex for the purpose they serve.
The answer is to simplify the school ICT infrastructure and lower services by outsourcing more services.
Outsourcing
Outsourced services based on free Open Source software such as e-mail, content filtering and remote backup are entirely appropriate to an education sector:
- Content filtering using Dan's Guardian is very powerful and scalable.
- E-mail: Sophisticated and secure Open Source. Large scale e-mail deployments using GOsa management tools, Squirrelmail webmail and LDAP authentication.
- Rsync: Remote off-site, secure incremental back-up technology.
Examples of where such services already exist are a bi-lingual webmail system accessible to all schools in Carmarthenshire County and the fully managed web content filtering infrastructure available to all schools within the Yorkshire and Humberside region.
In both cases the use of free, Open Source technologies has driven exceptional value compared to similar systems deployed using proprietary software.
Simplifying on-site infrastructure
Much of the complexity and management burden to schools comes the sheer number of computers needing maintenance - typically 100-500 desktop PCs and approximately eight network servers (file-authentication server, MIS database server, e-mail server, Intranet server, VLE server, thin-client server, web content filtering servers and a firewall).
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About the author
John Spencer Written by staff at Sirius Corporation, the Open Source services group, this blog seeks to dispel any FUD around the use of Open Source software in the Enterprise and provide perspectives on business, economics, politics, philosophy and the environment.
Comments received
Mark said on Wednesday, 05 March 2008
not to mention it would make for better computer users that could do more than just point and click.
Sahmeepee said on Wednesday, 05 March 2008
In the BECTA report from 3005, they highlighted many great uses of free open source software in schools and sang their praises. Unfortunately, almost every piece of software they identified was in fact proprietary, close-source software and some of it not entirely free (as in beer) either. People who know the educational IT sector are more than well aware that BECTA know very little about it.
Anyone familiar with managing IT in schools would also be aware that wireless is not terribly useful in a class of 30 pupils all trying to edit large images or video. Jumping on the bandwagon of advocating eeePCs and the Elonex One is not very mature - it's looking at how we can use a technology within education rather than looking at which technology best suits the environment. A 7-inch screen with painfully low resolution is totally useless for many IT tasks.
"Quite simply, school networks have become too complex for the purpose they serve."
That statement is not qualified at all by the
Sahmeepee said on Wednesday, 05 March 2008
... surrounding paragraphs.
Also, I notice that you don't feel the need to mention what you do for a living. Google suggests:
"John Spencer, the head of education at open source consultancy SiriusIT, claims that the schools are a key to the wider adoption of open source"
...that you might have a vested interest in pushing managed IT services in schools.
I also note that you quote a figure of 20% of IT costs to cover all hardware and software. Care to back that up with evidence?
Also you quote that FOSS software will cover 95% of all software requirements in schools. Any evidence there? I can point you at quite a few teachers who would argue the opposite. Just about every teacher I know in fact.
Good luck peddling your services. Now BSF is on the way I'm sure you'll have a boon at schools' expense.
Henry Keultjes said on Wednesday, 05 March 2008
Saving on software is a very small part of the actual gains that will be achieved when schools that have been, using an analogy, teaching car mechanics with cars that have their hoods welded shut, start offering students the opportunity to actually learn what the guts of software is all about.
Like any situation that needs productivity improvement, increased knowledge is an essential part.
Henry Keultjes
Microdyne Company
Mansfield Ohio USA
James Thomson said on Thursday, 06 March 2008
@Sahmeepee
I find it curious that every time there is ever any possibility of Microsoft's unhealthy monopoly being challenged, that suddenly certain people scuttle out from under rocks to defend Microsoft's position, and usually in an unqualified and ad hominem fashion.
John Spencer's affiliations do not make his assertions any less true, indeed he seems eminently qualified to understand the situation quite clearly - obviously more clearly than you, certainly.
As for resource-hungry machines being a prerequisite in schools, due to pupils extensive NLE video activity ... which schools are you referring to, I wonder. Do you work at a college training people for the entertainment industry? I think you are greatly exaggerating this "need" for energy-sucking machines running video editing software. Surely a small number of thin clients connected to a render farm cluster would be more efficient; cheaper; and more productive. Certainly that is what the professionals do actually out i
James Thomson said on Thursday, 06 March 2008
[continued]
... in the real world, and who are we to argue with them.
Implementing FOSS solutions in schools is unquestioningly the best solution. It greatly simplifies and reduces licensing issues, it reduces hardware costs due to the use of less bloated and more efficient software; and it empowers educational facilities to provide their own custom solutions, whilst remaining standards compliant ... thus also greatly simplifying maintenance and reducing its costs. I can see no valid argument for proprietary solutions whatsoever, particularly those coming from Microsoft.
Blog Editor said on Thursday, 06 March 2008
@Sahmeepee
Thank you for your comments. As this blog clearly states, posts are contributed by staff from Sirius Corporation.
If you would like to contact the author directly for further information please complete the contact form at http://www.siriusit.co.uk/contact.html
james said on Saturday, 08 March 2008
i agree an it would take only a few yrs for open source to replace windows and mac and all the software written by other sources for windows and mac with open source=linux os.
Chase Sagum said on Friday, 21 March 2008
Great Article! This is an area where Open Source could possibly have it's greatest effect to date. I would love to see all the school districts here in the US do this. As well as throughout the world!
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Computeach is the longest established IT training company in the UK. With over 40 years of experience in the IT Training Industry, we provide innovative and truly blended learning solutions to a wide range of customers.
Our career paths take you right through from the basics to highly specialised IT careers.
If you would like to link to us, please send an email to confirm and use the below text on your website:
IT Training (link to - http://www.computeach.co.uk)
Computeach offer IT Training Courses and Careers. Choose from IT courses in Microsoft Networking, Cisco Networking, Database Administration and Web Design.
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Marketing Department
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