Programme Launched to Promote Use of Grid Computing in Schools


SINGAPORE : Singapore is unleashing the power of Grid Computing into its schools and industries.

It is believed to be among the world's first to offer such high-speed super-computing capabilities beyond research institutes.

And the first to benefit will be some 76 students and teachers at the launch of SG@Schools.

These secondary school and junior college students have always been interested in IT.

Now they're getting a headstart with the launch of SG@Schools - or the PC Grid Computing for Schools programme.

They will get hands-on experience in Grid Computing which will enable them to optimise computing resources in their schools at a 2-day camp.

Chua Er Jzan, Computing Student, Victoria Junior College, said: "Grid computing is something which 17-year-old teenagers like us won't get to experience. So coming to a course like this would enable us to gain more knowledge on such stuff that would enable us to be well-informed and well equipped for our future career."

The plan is to tap into the unused computing resources of some of the 120,000 standalone PCs in schools by linking them up through the Internet.

With more schools becoming part of the Singapore Grid, it will not only pool the computing power across Singapore, it will also help Singapore tap into the collective creativity of its students.

Once PCs are grid-enabled, students would be able to do sophisticated projects such as DNA sequencing for life sciences, animation, or even complex financial engineering calculations.

Richard Lim, Chairman, National Grid Steering Committee, said: "We're bringing, through enabling-grid of the PCs in schools, the opportunity for school projects to move to a higher plain, a higher level of sophistication and I believe then the students will be a lot more empowered to do very very significant and very enriching and rewarding projects."

Tan Koon Chong, Member, Computer Club, Raffles Institution, said: "Normally when I try to create, it'll take quite long if I use those CPU intensive. So I hope the grid will make it faster. Maybe animation creation, because it's quite useful, maybe you can create games using animation."

Raffles Institution and Hwa Chong Institution are the first 2 schools to get some $120,000 to set up PC Grids using their schools' PCs.

Over the next 12 months, experts from Singapore's National Grid Office will also be at hand to guide and help them conceptualise projects using PC grid application.

[Source: CNA News, 6 Dec 05, Tuesday]