Actually, most of the cantons the schools a free Hand in the choice of Apps and programs that you want to work with. Nevertheless above all a manufacturer has conquered the educational landscape – and this is the US company Microsoft. By the student to the University Professor estimated that every second Person in education, Microsoft uses team.
Why there is no strong domestic competition? “Swiss solutions are very desirable, but difficult, in addition to the comprehensive comfort solutions, great providers,” writes Erwin Sommer, Director of education and cultural Affairs of the Canton of Berne, at the request of a VIEW.
These difficulties Escola know. The SME from Zurich with twelve employees and provides a complete solution for schools that is built up in modules. Escola-founder Hannes Bärtschi (43) even speaks of “monopoly” and “market distortion”.
The Problem for the manufacturer: figures in Many cantons, such as Aargau, St. Gallen and Lucerne are your schools Software for students management, and weekly planning. About the certificates to be printed and the cantons of education statistics. “The schools don’t want to pay, of course, a new piece of Software out of your own pocket,” said Bärtschi.
Microsoft is with free offered the big profiteer
profiteer this Situation, Microsoft is. For schools that already have a Canton-funded management software, need a Supplement for the E-Schooling with document processing or Chats. The Microsoft Teams, is that schools are still free, and therefore, of course, is used offers.
In other cantons, such as Zurich or Bern have Alternatives, better chances, because that is where the schools can really choose anything free. “We sincerely hope that the cantons will reconsider after the crisis, these monopoly and market distortion,” says the owner of Escola.
Swiss solutions would actually be harder, is it also in the schools. “They are simply more expensive and cannot compete with the advertising of international companies,” says Daniel Jud, the management of the school ZH’m in Adliswil. But privacy and high security would be weighted standards at least equal to the cost.
“The Department of education has not made a conscious decision for other solutions to be of large international companies,” says Daniel Jud. With Escola you do for ten years now, a very good experience.
A single platform for the entire digital school
The primary school Schwerzenbach ZH has Escola, it is only since the beginning of the year. “In this short but intense time I’ve become a big Fan of School,” says computer science coordinator Philipp Marti. He especially appreciates the Central database and the large range of functions. “Individual documents can, for example, will now be released specifically a student, a whole class or the whole school.”
The Sekundarschule Dielsdorf ZH is only switched in February to Escola and has thus replaced a special program as a notes and certificate management. “It was important for us that the school operating with a single platform,” says headmaster Anton Kleiber. He also praises the platform, such as the quick and easy communication between teachers, students and parents by means of E-Mail, SMS, Chat, video conferencing, or Pinboards. “This is now the Corona-crisis especially valuable.”
45’000 students of 120 schools are working with Escola
“Our Software is designed for 13 years, together with the schools,” says Escola-founder Hannes Bärtschi. There on the platform as well as pupils and parents have access to, could react, the company is also in the Corona-crisis quickly. Schools that have previously used only a part of the Software could be changed within days to distance education. “We had a day on the other four Times more traffic. We had to drive more than once our server capacity, to expand, and new servers to buy,” says Bärtschi.
Escola began as a digital education Manager. Meanwhile, 120 schools working with a total of 45’000 students with Escola. “We cover all areas of the Swiss school, everyday digital,” says Hannes Bärtschi. The schools can use a portion of the modules or all together – from the absence management Online Tests to the Messenger.
a Lot of value to the SME from Zurich puts on “Swissness”. The Software is developed in Switzerland, all data is stored on Swiss servers, and also the new chat is being hosted on the Basis of Open Source.
