Tablet Computer Distribution Kicks Off In Thailand

[webfact]

Tablet computer distribution kicked off

BANGKOK, July 19 - Thailand's Ministry of Education Ministry began delivering 55,000 tablet computers Wednesday to primary students in the first eight provinces, and plans to expand the mini-computer project to include distributions to Grade 7 students.

Education Minister Suchart Thada-Thamrongvech and ICT Minister Minister Anudith Nakornthap presided at the delivery ceremony for a total of 55,000 tablet computers to Prathom One (Grade 1) students in the first eight provinces-- Krabi, Bangkok, Kanchanaburi, Kalasin, Kamphaeng Phet, Khon Kaen, Chanthaburi and Chachoengsao.

After delivering the first batch of tablet computers, the ministry will gradually deliver the mini-computers to Grade 1 students in other provinces.

Under the government’s One Tablet Per Child programme, about 860,000 tablet computers are to be presented to Grade 1 students across the country.

Mr Suchart said that using the tablet computers in school will help enhance the country’s education revolution as well as the students’ learning potential.

In addition, the ministry planned to expand the tablet programme and complete the purchase in November, intending to distribute 700,000 mini-computers to Matthayom One (Grade 7) students.

The ministry will invite the private sector to sponsor the tablet computers for Grade 2 students.

Meanwhile, Mr Anudith said that the ICT's procurement committee conducted a random sampling with 500 and found seven of them with some errors, in particular errors about the touchscreen display.

Still, the flaws discovered in the random sample met the procurement criteria and were considered acceptable. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-07-19

[webfact]

Schools get tablets tomorrow

SUPINDA NA MAHACHAI

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- Pathom 1 students in eight provinces are set to get their hands on tablet computers under the government's One Tablet Per Child (OTPD) project very soon.

"We will have 55,712 tablets dispatched to their schools by Friday," Education Minister Suchart Tadathamrongvej said yesterday.

He was speaking as 30 trucks were about to start their delivery trips to schools in Bangkok, Krabi, Kanchanaburi, Kalasin, Kamphaeng Phet, Khon Kaen, Chanthaburi and Chachoengsao.

The tablets are being sent to these provinces first because they are the first eight in Thai alphabetical order.

"The tablet will revolutionise the teaching and learning process," Suchart said. He added that his ministry had prepared content for the devices and trained teachers to use them.

The OTPC project is one of the Pheu Thai Party's much-touted election policies. However, its implementation has been hit by delays. Initially, the government planned to have the tablets ready for all Pathom 1 students at the beginning of the 2012 academic year, or two months ago.

The government bought the tablets from a Chinese supplier

According to Information and Communications Technology Minister Anudith Nakornthap, quality checks have detected problems in just seven of the 35,000 tablets being tested.

"There are warranty services too." He added that there would be 30 centres to provide after-sales services in Thailand.

Chinnapat Bhumirat, secretary-general of the Office of the Basic Education Commission (Obec), said the first purchase contract would provide tablets for just 48 per cent of all Pathom 1 students.

"But we have already submitted a repeat order," he said.

Suchart said his ministry planned to have tablets available for all school students within the next five years. His ministry would start preparing the purchase of tablets for Mathayom 1 students in November.

"Also, we will encourage private firms to buy tablets for children under their corporate social responsibility activities," he said. "We plan to involve the private sector in the tablet purchases for Pathom 2 students."

Suchart said parents and their children must sign contracts to receive the tablets. Although the devices will be lent to them on a yearly basis, they will finally be given to |the students after they have used them for three years.

-- The Nation 2012-07-19

[Moruya]

Let the fun begin.

[MaxLee]

Let the mindless stupidity begin...

[sirchai]

"But we have already submitted a repeat order," he said.

[snowflake]

Has anyone taught the teachers how to use them in class?

[BookMan]

After a few weeks how many kids will still have possession of their tablet? How many parents, siblings, family will take a shining to them?

[hellodolly]

Now let me get this rite. In order to get eected the PT promised a tablet to all students. They have delivered a feww and have plans fo delivering a few more.

Now they are asking the private sector to help them.

"The ministry will invite the private sector to sponsor the tablet computers for Grade 2 students."

Next thing you know they will be asking the private sector to help them pay the 15,000 baht a month to all College graduates they hire.

How many rings are we going to have in this circus.

No wonder they are so desperate to get Thaksin back.

Hard to run a circus when the ring master is not there.

[Yunla]

New books, new classrooms, improved teaching-techniques, and even electricity would have been better.

But those boring old mundane things don't give Yingluck the same positive facesaving photo-ops.

Edited July 19, 2012 by Yunla

[MEL1]

Education Minister Suchart Thada-Thamrongvech and ICT Minister Minister Anudith Nakornthap presided at the delivery ceremony.

--------

Derivery, what derivery? Ooops.... rong transration page...

-mel.

[Skywalker69]

55 105 in a year, good job.

[OzMick]

"Suchart said parents and their children must sign contracts to receive the tablets."

6yo children are signing a contract that they cannot read or comprehend? Try taking that to court!

What are the parents agreeing to do? Replace the tablet if little Somchai drops it or throws it across the room - or not sue if he electrocutes himself plugging in the charger (assuming his school has electricity)?

[aussiebebe]

Money better spent elsewhere certainly, but objectively speaking, I'm highly impressed that the Thai government pulled this off and negotiated a good deal for the tablets and delivery timeline. I'm interested to see the outcome of this mad-cap experiment; my step-son will be in grade 7 next year so I have some insight when I say that I can't see the tablets being used entirely responsibly!

[MEL1]

Money better spent elsewhere certainly, but objectively speaking, I'm highly impressed that the Thai government pulled this off and negotiated a good deal for the tablets and delivery timeline. I'm interested to see the outcome of this mad-cap experiment; my step-son will be in grade 7 next year so I have some insight when I say that I can't see the tablets being used entirely responsibly!

If you so desire, I can teach him how to take the games off, and put something useful on it?

-mel.

[BabySun]

Let the mindless stupidity begin...

I do not understand - what this fuss is about?

Children love tablets!

I did not wait for government intiative - last Christmas my kids got their tablets from Santa Claus.

Today - more then half a year later I can say:

it was the best Christmas gift ever!

They love it!Nothing broken,kids are very pro in using them.

What I bought was nothing special - no ipads or galaxys: comon variety from Shenzen in Panthip.

Anybody can afford it.

[OzMick]

Let the mindless stupidity begin...

I do not understand - what this fuss is about?

Children love tablets!

I did not wait for government intiative - last Christmas my kids got their tablets from Santa Claus.

Today - more then half a year later I can say:

it was the best Christmas gift ever!

They love it!Nothing broken,kids are very pro in using them.

What I bought was nothing special - no ipads or galaxys: comon variety from Shenzen in Panthip.

Anybody can afford it.

Please don't be obtuse. The price of your child's tablet is close to the gross monthly income of many Thais, and they are struggling to make ends meet. Which means it take a big slab and many months of their elective spending to buy a glorified toy for a young child. Not everybody can afford it.

[Grafted]

Thailand leapfrogged costly first world technology of landlines for their phone system. It was not necessary to first have land lines and then progress to mobiles.

Education has been following a classroom model for about 600 years. Books are great but will we still be cutting down trees to make them in 50 years? 100?

As an ex educator and an embracer of change I applaud the govt for QUICKLY rolling out this scheme. For sure I do not know what content and applications have been or will be developed for the OTPChild program but it certainly looks like they are quickly getting the NEW BLACKBOARDS in place, perhaps the new chalk and the new writing on the board is in train or will be soon.

Thailand educates a lot if not well. In Lampang education is a disease with many kids attending school type activities 6 days and some 7 as they race to find their place at the top. There is a bank of skilled programmers and of graphic designers. These skills could be soaked up quickly if combined with creative educationalists.

Then again, there is scope for the enterprising Entrepreneur to develop Govt approved apps to enhance learning. A Where in Thailand is Carmen Sandiego may enhance Thai geography, a series of reading materials based on the excellent work of Science research Associates (US) could also be adapted. I wish I had the smarts to do it - I see it as an open field for positive contribution to society and maybe make some shekels.

To all the naysayers, remember the Luddites, to myself, remember cold fusion.

Of course

[eTiMaGo]

Today's lesson will be applied kinetics and ballistic trajectories (Angry Birds)

Considering one can buy tablets of similar specifications for $100 in China, one must wonder what wholesale price they got, and perhaps more importantly, how much was budgeted *per tablet*... pretty sure we'll see a lot of pockets in between those two figures But hey, it's a noble project, I wish them the best of luck

[LucidLucifer]

It's a little ironic that all the naysayers on here are using ICT to post their doubts about giving school children access to ICT.

I think you should be a little less sceptical and to give them a chance. The potential is there for these to be extremely beneficial.

Edited July 19, 2012 by LucidLucifer

[Grafted]

OZ MICK says The price of your child's tablet is close to the gross monthly income of many Thais, and they are struggling to make ends meet. Which means it take a big slab and many months of their elective spending to buy a glorified toy for a young child. Not everybody can afford it.

Hey Mick I have a few comments

1. I'm not sure where you are but I'm here in Nthn Thailand and I am amazed at the poliferation of tablets, most of which seem to be ipads.

2. This is a govt program - I may be wrong but the OTPC is for govt school kids, it does not seem to be about price.

3. I think the points the dude you quoted was trying to make was more to do with acceptance by kids (hard to argue with) but also how these might be cared for.

Hopefully education an open the door to wealth and the next generation will be able to afford whatever is beneficial to a good life then!

[BabySun]

Let the mindless stupidity begin...

I do not understand - what this fuss is about?

Children love tablets!

I did not wait for government intiative - last Christmas my kids got their tablets from Santa Claus.

Today - more then half a year later I can say:

it was the best Christmas gift ever!

They love it!Nothing broken,kids are very pro in using them.

What I bought was nothing special - no ipads or galaxys: comon variety from Shenzen in Panthip.

Anybody can afford it.

Please don't be obtuse. The price of your child's tablet is close to the gross monthly income of many Thais, and they are struggling to make ends meet. Which means it take a big slab and many months of their elective spending to buy a glorified toy for a young child. Not everybody can afford it.

What abuse???

Price? - less then 100 bucks/piece=3000B

I can afford it,you can afford it;buy it for your kids!

Poor parents,however need government assistance

[SuneeTH]

No way the Chinese can supply so many in such a short time.

It must be a scam by Yingluck (Thaksin) government.

[Moruya]

No way the Chinese can supply so many in such a short time.

It must be a scam by Yingluck (Thaksin) government.

Could be a diabolical Ponzi scheme.

[OzMick]

Let the mindless stupidity begin...

I do not understand - what this fuss is about?

Children love tablets!

I did not wait for government intiative - last Christmas my kids got their tablets from Santa Claus.

Today - more then half a year later I can say:

it was the best Christmas gift ever!

They love it!Nothing broken,kids are very pro in using them.

What I bought was nothing special - no ipads or galaxys: comon variety from Shenzen in Panthip.

Anybody can afford it.

Please don't be obtuse. The price of your child's tablet is close to the gross monthly income of many Thais, and they are struggling to make ends meet. Which means it take a big slab and many months of their elective spending to buy a glorified toy for a young child. Not everybody can afford it.

What abuse???

Price? - less then 100 bucks/piece=3000B

I can afford it,you can afford it;buy it for your kids!

Poor parents,however need government assistance

My point was that you can afford it, I can afford it, but most Thais cannot, and only a very limited number are getting govt assistance.

[xkmasada]

New books, new classrooms, improved teaching-techniques, and even electricity would have been better.

But those boring old mundane things don't give Yingluck the same positive facesaving photo-ops.

Thailand as a country has over 99% electrification. Are there really any more than a handful of schools that don't have electricity?!

[LucidLucifer]

No way the Chinese can supply so many in such a short time.

It must be a scam by Yingluck (Thaksin) government.

China, the world's biggest factory, cannot supply that many tablets?

What alternative reality are you living in to think this?

Ah, I remember now, you live in a (spare) box.

[OzMick]

Thailand leapfrogged costly first world technology of landlines for their phone system. It was not necessary to first have land lines and then progress to mobiles.

Education has been following a classroom model for about 600 years. Books are great but will we still be cutting down trees to make them in 50 years? 100?

As an ex educator and an embracer of change I applaud the govt for QUICKLY rolling out this scheme. For sure I do not know what content and applications have been or will be developed for the OTPChild program but it certainly looks like they are quickly getting the NEW BLACKBOARDS in place, perhaps the new chalk and the new writing on the board is in train or will be soon.

Thailand educates a lot if not well. In Lampang education is a disease with many kids attending school type activities 6 days and some 7 as they race to find their place at the top. There is a bank of skilled programmers and of graphic designers. These skills could be soaked up quickly if combined with creative educationalists.

Then again, there is scope for the enterprising Entrepreneur to develop Govt approved apps to enhance learning. A Where in Thailand is Carmen Sandiego may enhance Thai geography, a series of reading materials based on the excellent work of Science research Associates (US) could also be adapted. I wish I had the smarts to do it - I see it as an open field for positive contribution to society and maybe make some shekels.

To all the naysayers, remember the Luddites, to myself, remember cold fusion.

Of course

When Thailand rushed to mobile phone technology, they did so by handing a corrupt businessman a monopoly which allowed him to overcharge for phones and calls, reaping him billions of baht. Now his puppet/clone sister is making a great leap forward in education with computer tablets - pardon me for suspecting another rort.

[belg]

in other news, the first IPAD school in the world, has gone back to work with paper books ...

[belg]

of its nothing, out of the 800.000, only 11.200 will not work (7 out of 500, 1.4%)

[SuneeTH]

Has anyone taught the teachers how to use them in class?

That's the job of the students.