Pressmart launches tablet-based education solution

Hyderabad, July 2 (IANS) Online publishing provider Pressmart Monday announced the launch of MOCA (Mobile Learning Classroom Application), a paperless, tablet based end-to-end solution for schools.

The Hyderabad-based firm announced deployment of its application by La Salle Green Hills (LSGH), a school in Manila, Philippines. It also plans pilot projects in India, Singapore, Malaysia and Australia in the coming months.

MOCA allows school going children to access text books and worksheets in a digitized format in an Android-based tablet. The solution costs $100 for a year's education.

In Manila, where currently 80 per cent of the media are Pressmart clients, around 17 schools have adopted the service.

V. K. Torpunuri, chairman, Pressmart, told media persons that MOCA is based on a private cloud-based interactive education system aimed at making learning an interesting, enjoyable and collaborative experience on mobile devices.

The e-tablet initiative involving Pressmart MOCA consists of a five-phase implementation. The first, on-going, phase involves merely replacing textbooks with the tablet devices. MOCA will be sold in India at the price range of Rs. 4000 - Rs. 7000 for institutions.

Raghavan Madhabhushi, chief executive officer, Pressmart, said the firm plans to invest $1 million this academic year to develop the system in other markets, and to add 150 persons to the design team to expand the e-education service.

Pressmart also plans to launch solutions for life sciences and the healthcare industry, as well as more products to the digitization business, addressing smaller publishing houses.

The newer products are expected to contribute 50 per cent of the revenues in the coming one year. The company, however, declined to disclose its total earnings.

More than 600 publishers in 33 languages from 61 countries are currently using Pressmart's cutting-edge cloud based publishing technology.