Only 50 Percent Of Pupils To Get Tablet Computers Next Semester: Thailand

[webfact]

Only 50% of pupils to get tablets next semester

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- About half of first-graders will be handed tablet computers in the next semester and not all of them as has been planned under a government project, according to a senior Education Ministry official.

Permanent secretary for education Sasithara Pichaichannarong said yesterday that about 500,000 tablet computers would be purchased for distribution to Prathom 1 students in the first semester of the 2012 academic year starting in May.

"Not all of the Prathom 1 pupils will get the tablets," she said after meeting with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to report about the progress of the government project to distribute tablets to all first-graders.

She also said that the Education Ministry would request another Bt1.2 billion from the government for the purchase of 400,000 more tablet computers to be distributed to Grade 1 pupils in the second semester of the 2012 academic year starting in October.

More money would be required to buy the hand-held computers for first-graders in the 2013 academic year, as this year's Grade 1 pupils would also bring the tablets with them when they move on to Grade 2 next year, according to the Education Ministry's top permanent official.

She saw no problem with the failure to distribute tablets to all the first-graders. "There will be no damage done. In the initial phase, use of tablets will be limited to a closed system or offline. It is because most schools still have no Internet connections."

The Education Ministry expected to acquire the first batch of 150,000 Chinese-made tablet PCs in late April, and two more shipments of 100,000 and 200,000 units in May and June respectively, according to the senior official. She said the ministry expected to get between 1,000 and 2,000 tablets from China in a month or two for testing of the hardware and its compatibility with the ministry's software.

-- The Nation 2012-02-09

[South]

IMHO, one of the biggest loss making ventures this or any government could do. Giving tablets/laptops or whatever they are called especially to P1 students is exactly the same as throwing Millions of Baht down the drain. How many of these P1 students will a) use them as meant to be play games on them c) lose them d) older siblings will commandeer them e) insert own reason

This is nothing but a money making venture for the family that owns the rights to sell these ...... and, guess which family it is?

[ozzieman05]

Have seen some of these cheap Chinese tablets on sale while in China last month

Nothing but rubbish, and the warranty is non existant

When asked if I purchased 500 units what is the warranty they told me I would get 5 extra units to cover the warranty

Price $38 Australian dollars each

Wonder if I can put in a quote and make mega bucks from the government on this deal

[Ricardo]

Is this a broken promise, a missed target or merely a pre-election promise ?

Whatever, one can understand why the deadline will be missed, the decision on what to order was delayed & muffed over the past several months, rather than being researched long before the actual commitment was made pre-election. Simple bad-planning & bad-execution. Nothing new there, from any government, of whatever colour.

But there are still mixed-messages coming from the current set of poo-yai amart in-charge, with different numbers of machines having been variously ordered or anticipated, according to whomever one believes, or who spoke last.

Another mixed-message appears to be regarding the funding. Either the original funding was sufficient, or the extra sum agreed last week by the Cabinet would be sufficient to cover one machine for every Prathom-1 student, or now a further 1.2 Billion Baht will be required, merely to eventually get one machine to each first-year student, at some point. So how much are they really costing ? Does anybody really know ?

The greater the confusion, the worse the potential either for the appearance of on-going corruption, or of a Ministry & a government who have no idea what they're doing, where there is no clear direction from the politicians, and nobody has the whole picture. Let's hope that the Auditor-General can spare the time, at some point in the future, to check that everything was spotless ?

[ThaiOats]

If the students were to lose the tablets the government can make money in two different ways, from having the parents pay for a new one or the government paying for it (politicians pocketing money on both accounts)" it's a win/win situation. Not to mention if they come with a stylus, carrying case or whatever accessories that can be replaced.

[nicky1982]

Would have been better to give something like this a least if they drop wont break easy .. or something like the other laptop a least wont cost much on electronic ..

Edited February 9, 2012 by nicky1982

[whybother]

I thought they already had the budget for 900,000 tablets? Why are they asking for money for 400,000 more?

[Reasonableman]

IMHO, one of the biggest loss making ventures this or any government could do. Giving tablets/laptops or whatever they are called especially to P1 students is exactly the same as throwing Millions of Baht down the drain. How many of these P1 students will a) use them as meant to be play games on them c) lose them d) older siblings will commandeer them e) insert own reason

This is nothing but a money making venture for the family that owns the rights to sell these ...... and, guess which family it is?

Intriguing [sic], please do tell.

[moe666]

I thought they already had the budget for 900,000 tablets? Why are they asking for money for 400,000 more?

The first budget has already been pocketed earlier and now they need more money for pocket and actual tablets. It will eventually come out, it will just take time and the PTP supports need a few days to get up to speed for the rebuttal.

[DLock]

This failure will be closely watched by the world as one of the largest rollouts of tablet PC's ever done.

It will be ridiculed and lambasted as a monumental waste of money and potential.

This could have been a fantastic success and put Thailand and education firmly on the map.

Instead, the world will shake it's collective head in awe at how such a good idea went to waste.

If only...

[nicky1982]

After doing some research on this they could have save all the budget and ask these they have been running this program for the past few years now also the system they use looks very easy to use too ..on the bright side of things the kids look happy to have them ..

.

[sirchai]

" It is because most schools still have no Internet connections."

What a joke! Everybody being involved in Thai education knows how stupid the whole idea is.

Why can't they just install a projector and a functioning PC, with Anti virus software on it in each classroom?

Easy to connect only one PC to the Internet for all subjects being taught.

Would make more sense and it's much cheaper.........

Edited February 9, 2012 by sirchai

[nicky1982]

" It is because most schools still have no Internet connections."

What a joke! Everybody being involved in Thai education knows how stupid the whole idea is.

Why can't they just install a projector and a functioning PC, with Anti virus software on it in each classroom?

Would make more sense and it's much cheaper.........

How $75 USD for you cheap if you ask me after seeing this ...

[janverbeem]

I thought they already had the budget for 900,000 tablets? Why are they asking for money for 400,000 more?

The first budget has already been pocketed earlier and now they need more money for pocket and actual tablets. It will eventually come out, it will just take time and the PTP supports need a few days to get up to speed for the rebuttal.

I recall this to be the second budget rise in less than a month.One thing that catches my eye however is that each budget rise is bigger and those Chinese tabs will soon be valued higher then a Ipad.

The Education Ministry expected to acquire the first batch of 150,000 Chinese-made tablet PCs in late April, and two more shipments of 100,000 and 200,000 units in May and June respectively, according to the senior official. She said the ministry expected to get between 1,000 and 2,000 tablets from China in a month or two for testing of the hardware and its compatibility with the ministry's software.

Very good tactics this government is using.

Keep talking,always rise the goals and keep the pockets full but for sure keep talking untill this government is booted.........Then blame the oposition for your failure to deliver on your promises.

[webfact]

Education Ministry: “Not all first graders will receive tablet PCs in 1st school term of 2012”

BANGKOK, 9 January 2012 (NNT) - The Ministry of Education has conceded that the much-anticipated distribution of free tablet computers to students will not be completely executed by the first term of the 2012 school year, as hoped.

Education Ministry Permanent Secretary Sasithara Pichaichannarong said that the Ministry has completed reviewing the details of the tablet computers which the government has promised to distribute to all first graders across the country in the 2012 school year.

She said that the details of tablet PC have been sent to the Chinese government to consider and prepare a government-to-government procurement contract.

Ms. Sasithara updated all progress to Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and Minister of Education Suchart Thadathamrongvech on Wednesday.

The Education Ministry Permanent Secretary added that up to 2,000 tablet computers should be delivered to the Ministry to test and download all contents soon.

Ms. Sasithara expects the first delivery of around 150,000 tablet computers in April, after which a training on how the gadgets should be used in the teaching process will be held for all related teachers.

For the second and third deliveries, the Education Ministry hopes they will receive 100,000 and 200,000 units in May and June, respectively.

If everything goes as planned, Thailand should have received 500,000 tablet computers by the end of the first semester, or around October. However, that still means that not all the first graders will receive the gadgets in the upcoming school term.

Therefore, the Ministry is planning to ask for another budget of THB1.2 billion to purchase 400,000 more PCs for distribution in the second term. More budget will also be acquired to purchase the tablets for the next batch of first graders.

-- NNT 2012-02-09

[scorecard]

Is this a broken promise, a missed target or merely a pre-election promise ?

Whatever, one can understand why the deadline will be missed, the decision on what to order was delayed & muffed over the past several months, rather than being researched long before the actual commitment was made pre-election. Simple bad-planning & bad-execution. Nothing new there, from any government, of whatever colour.

But there are still mixed-messages coming from the current set of poo-yai amart in-charge, with different numbers of machines having been variously ordered or anticipated, according to whomever one believes, or who spoke last.

Another mixed-message appears to be regarding the funding. Either the original funding was sufficient, or the extra sum agreed last week by the Cabinet would be sufficient to cover one machine for every Prathom-1 student, or now a further 1.2 Billion Baht will be required, merely to eventually get one machine to each first-year student, at some point. So how much are they really costing ? Does anybody really know ?

The greater the confusion, the worse the potential either for the appearance of on-going corruption, or of a Ministry & a government who have no idea what they're doing, where there is no clear direction from the politicians, and nobody has the whole picture. Let's hope that the Auditor-General can spare the time, at some point in the future, to check that everything was spotless ?

Any news on delivery of the big pumps the paymaster ordered from South Korea?

[scorecard]

I thought they already had the budget for 900,000 tablets? Why are they asking for money for 400,000 more?

The first budget has already been pocketed earlier and now they need more money for pocket and actual tablets. It will eventually come out, it will just take time and the PTP supports need a few days to get up to speed for the rebuttal.

Hey folks, don't worry, chalerm is gunna get tough on corrupt oficials, he said so!

[Moruya]

more than 2,000 schools have no electricity.

Most schools have no internet.

Tablet PCs were part of the PTP Campaign 10 months ago.

There's nothing like planning is there.

[jaltsc]

Well, this might save some money in the long run. Once these tablets crash, the students can go through the lunch lines and pile their rice on top, and use them for plates. Let's hope they don't short out. Then you will have both, fried rice and fried first graders.

[KKK]

report about the progress of the government project to distribute tablets to all first-graders

wrong...tablets were promised to all students not just first graders...that's around 11 million of them not half a million.....this government just lies..lies..lies and then lies again

[ThaiSold]

The whole idea is stupid, just because you have a tablet does that mean you'll learn anything? What about the programs that will be loaded onto the tablets i mean, has anyone actually seen the curiculum that they intend to teach with these things? Thailand doesn't even have a functioning e-library so how is this even going to work. They don't even talk about a budget to build software, training, etc for the dam_n tablets. What a joke.

[sparebox2]

The whole idea is stupid, just because you have a tablet does that mean you'll learn anything? What about the programs that will be loaded onto the tablets i mean, has anyone actually seen the curiculum that they intend to teach with these things? Thailand doesn't even have a functioning e-library so how is this even going to work. They don't even talk about a budget to build software, training, etc for the dam_n tablets. What a joke.

Same same as giving school books for free.

Just because you have Thai school books that mean you'll learn anything. Especially Thai school books.

[Scott]

On troll post removed.

[Bakseedaa]

IMHO, one of the biggest loss making ventures this or any government could do. Giving tablets/laptops or whatever they are called especially to P1 students is exactly the same as throwing Millions of Baht down the drain. How many of these P1 students will a) use them as meant to be play games on them c) lose them d) older siblings will commandeer them e) insert own reason

This is nothing but a money making venture for the family that owns the rights to sell these ...... and, guess which family it is?

Who gives a dam_n..... give them all a motor-bike while they are at it... and a pair of flip-flops..

[rubl]

IMHO, one of the biggest loss making ventures this or any government could do. Giving tablets/laptops or whatever they are called especially to P1 students is exactly the same as throwing Millions of Baht down the drain. How many of these P1 students will a) use them as meant to be play games on them c) lose them d) older siblings will commandeer them e) insert own reason

This is nothing but a money making venture for the family that owns the rights to sell these ...... and, guess which family it is?

Who gives a dam_n..... give them all a motor-bike while they are at it... and a pair of flip-flops..

AS we had a change of government may I suggest to put the images of the current PM and a deserving Dept. PM on the soles of those flipflops ?

[nurgut73]

thats fair, as only 50% of the parents are red shirts...

[scorecard]

The whole idea is stupid, just because you have a tablet does that mean you'll learn anything? What about the programs that will be loaded onto the tablets i mean, has anyone actually seen the curiculum that they intend to teach with these things? Thailand doesn't even have a functioning e-library so how is this even going to work. They don't even talk about a budget to build software, training, etc for the dam_n tablets. What a joke.

Same same as giving school books for free.

Just because you have Thai school books that mean you'll learn anything. Especially Thai school books.

Which all underlines that the money should be spent on upgrading the knowledge and skills of teachers (and reducing class numbers) so that there is a better chance that kids will be enthused to learn.

Edited February 9, 2012 by scorecard

[scorecard]

thats fair, as only 50% of the parents are red shirts...

?

[whybother]

1.2 billion baht for 400,000 tablets. 3000 baht each.

Didn't they announce a couple of weeks ago that they were going to cost 2400 baht each?

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[Reasonableman]

1.2 billion baht for 400,000 tablets. 3000 baht each.

Didn't they announce a couple of weeks ago that they were going to cost 2400 baht each?

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