Thai Govt To Buy 1.69M Tablet Computers At 4 Auctions

[webfact]

TABLET COMPUTERS

1.69M devices to be bought at 4 auctions

SUPINDA NA MAHACHAI

THE NATION

Olarn to head panel drafting terms; Thai firms look to bid

BANGKOK: -- The government will purchase 1.69 million computer tablets for first graders and first-year high school students in four lots through e-auctions.

Education Minister Pongthep Thepkanjana said Dr Olarn Chaiprawat has been appointed chairman of a panel tasked with writing the terms of reference for the e-auctions. He said that since the purchase involves a large number of tablets, the government had decided to hold four e-auctions to be held on the same day. Both Thai and foreign companies will be allowed to take part.

"Dividing the auction into four lots will encourage more companies to bid, making the auction more competitive and enabling the government to get the lowest price,'' Pongthep said.

The Education Ministry's reference price in last year's purchase of tablets was Bt2,470, and it hopes that this year it can get a lower price. The Basic Education Department (BED) has been instructed to draft a time frame for tablet procurement that will ensure that students receive the devices before the opening of the 2013 school year.

Pongthep dismissed as impossible a report that the government might this year provide all students in every grade with computer tablets, by seeking foreign loans and grants. If there was such a plan, he said, it would have to be implemented in 2014 because such a mega-project requires much planning. Pongthep nevertheless said if there was any change in the government's existing policy, the plan could be scrapped in order to cater to the new policy.

BED secretary-general Chinnapatr Phummirat said the tablets would mostly be supplied to students of schools under the jurisdiction of the Education and Interior ministries. Of the 1.69 million tablets, his department will purchase 1.2 million for schools under the jurisdiction of the Education Ministry, of which 574,826 are for first graders and 656,884 are for first-year high-school students. The department has been allocated Bt4.4 billion to be used not only for purchases but also operational expenses.

Of the funds to be used in purchasing 1.69 million tablets, Bt933 million is allocated from the Interior Ministry, Bt5.4 billion from the Education Ministry and Bt72 million from other government agencies.

Anek Ratpiyapaporn, adviser to the BED, said the department has identified the specifications of the computer tablets for both grades with a mean price of Bt2,800, which is higher than last year because of higher specifications. The department wants the tablets to have both back and front cameras. Although the department did not require a camera function in the tablets last year, all tablets had front cameras but they did not function effectively.

Anek reasoned that having cameras is useful for some activities, for instance allowing students to scan bar codes. The department also wants to increase RAM from 512MB to 1 gigabyte and increase the speed from 1.2GHz to 1.5GHz. The size of the screen remains the same. The specifications however are yet to pass public hearing procedures.

Meanwhile, D Com Group executive Wikorn Wiwitthakunaporn said his company was waiting for clarity on the bidding for the new lot of tablets, which was likely to give an opportunity to Thai firms. He said the company had marketed tablet products including Bt3,000 tablets, and was confident that post-sales service was an area in which Thai companies had the upper hand over competitors because most already had post-sales service centres.

The bidding model that would most benefit Thai operators was bidding by educational zone or by school, as used in the Office of Basic Education Commission (Obec)'s computer procurement method, Wikorn said. "We're not worried about hardware because, at this price range, the products would come mainly from China, but the difference is the post-sales service, in which local brands would have the upper hand over foreign companies," he said. He expected the new tablet lot would require a budget of Bt2 billion, like the previous tablet lot - but still a lot cheaper than the Bt4 billion required for the Obec computer procurement two years ago.

-- The Nation 2012-11-16

[asiawatcher]

increased processor speed, more RAM and looking for a lesser price. But at least by having separate auctions there may be some transparency in the deal this time.

[Moruya]

^{"Pongthep dismissed as impossible a report that the government might this year provide all students in every grade with computer tablets, by seeking foreign loans and grants. If there was such a plan, he said, it would have to be implemented in 2014 because such a mega-project requires much planning. Pongthep nevertheless said if there was any change in the government's existing policy, the plan could be scrapped in order to cater to the new policy."}

^{Funny that..... It was perfectly possible just before elections last year...........}

[CelticBhoy]

They ought to take the kids education seriously.

These computers have been promised for ages now.

All pie-in-the-sky promises it would seem.

[rubl]

"The bidding model that would most benefit Thai operators was bidding by educational zone or by school"?

How about asking the few lucky kids who already have a tabletPC and their equally lucky teachers. What is their experience, succes stories, failures. Any feedback would seem useful before starting the process of buying a few million more.

[Buchholz]

^{"Pongthep dismissed as impossible a report that the government might this year provide all students in every grade with computer tablets, by seeking foreign loans and grants. If there was such a plan, he said, it would have to be implemented in 2014 because such a mega-project requires much planning. Pongthep nevertheless said if there was any change in the government's existing policy, the plan could be scrapped in order to cater to the new policy."}

^{Funny that..... It was perfectly possible just before elections last year...........}

And even months and months AFTER the election, the lie was still being put out by the Fork Minister above.

.

[OzMick]

Is any of the budget for connecting electricity to schools yet without?

Can anybody explain why a tablet needs 2 cameras - front and back?

Scanning bar codes? On what? Are they bar-coding students now (not a bad idea)?

Why were local companies excluded from the original contract? Because none could deliver by May, very much like the selected supplier?

[noitom]

The tablet scheme making the rounds again in the newspaper.

[Payboy]

Basic Education Department (BED)

A good place for wet dreams.

[borovik]

Can anybody explain why a tablet needs 2 cameras - front and back?

Scanning bar codes? On what? Are they bar-coding students now (not a bad idea)?

Cant you use your common sense?

front camera is low quality for communication,to take picture of yourself(Thai teenagers love it,look on Hi5 or Sanook)

back camera is good quality,you can take pictures and shoot movies.

what is the purpuse of digital camera in classroom in hands of student? - here you need your common sense and a bit of imagination:

to take photo of blackboard with teachers writing on it;

to record teacher's lecture;

to record performence of school girls-only band;

to record performance of school theater;

to copy posters,pages from textbook;

to record science experiments;

and many other things.....

[SICHONSTEVE]

"The bidding model that would most benefit Thai operators was bidding by educational zone or by school"?

How about asking the few lucky kids who already have a tabletPC and their equally lucky teachers. What is their experience, succes stories, failures. Any feedback would seem useful before starting the process of buying a few million more.

Far too sensible for Thailand - let alone this particular government of amateur, incompetent wasters!!!

Edited November 16, 2012 by SICHONSTEVE

[pedro01]

So is the manufacturer of the first batch on the list of those invited to auction?

[whybother]

So is the manufacturer of the first batch on the list of those invited to auction?

They're still busy completing the last order.

[drdoom6996]

^{"Pongthep dismissed as impossible a report that the government might this year provide all students in every grade with computer tablets, by seeking foreign loans and grants. If there was such a plan, he said, it would have to be implemented in 2014 because such a mega-project requires much planning. Pongthep nevertheless said if there was any change in the government's existing policy, the plan could be scrapped in order to cater to the new policy."}

^{Funny that..... It was perfectly possible just before elections last year...........}

It would be a wonderful world if post election reality was the same as pre election promises. But alas it is not the same.

[OzMick]

Can anybody explain why a tablet needs 2 cameras - front and back?

Scanning bar codes? On what? Are they bar-coding students now (not a bad idea)?

Cant you use your common sense?

front camera is low quality for communication,to take picture of yourself(Thai teenagers love it,look on Hi5 or Sanook)

back camera is good quality,you can take pictures and shoot movies.

what is the purpuse of digital camera in classroom in hands of student? - here you need your common sense and a bit of imagination:

to take photo of blackboard with teachers writing on it;

to record teacher's lecture;

to record performence of school girls-only band;

to record performance of school theater;

to copy posters,pages from textbook;

to record science experiments;

and many other things.....

I understand the need for one, but it shouldn't be that difficult to mount a revolving model to face either way with software adjustable resolution?

BTW I would rather watch a cat cough up a hairball than venture into the mindless world of Hi5 or Sanook TYVM.

BTW Australians might remember that we had a mixed-sex singing group (children's entertainment) called Hi5. The tasty Asian lass sung a song called "if you had 3 wishes, would you give me one?" I certainly would.

[Buchholz]

So is the manufacturer of the first batch on the list of those invited to auction?

They're still busy completing the last order.

Give them time....

Computer Tablets Delivery Could Take Nearly 3 Years

http://www.thaivisa....inistry-source/

.

[Buchholz]

^{"Pongthep dismissed as impossible a report that the government might this year provide all students in every grade with computer tablets, by seeking foreign loans and grants. If there was such a plan, he said, it would have to be implemented in 2014 because such a mega-project requires much planning. Pongthep nevertheless said if there was any change in the government's existing policy, the plan could be scrapped in order to cater to the new policy."}

^{Funny that..... It was perfectly possible just before elections last year...........}

It would be a wonderful world if post election reality was the same as pre election promises. But alas it is not the same.

They continued their pre-election "promises" (AKA lies) well into the post-election period.

Now, over a year and a half later, we get the first acknowledgement that their original lies were "impossible".

.

.

Edited November 16, 2012 by Buchholz

[rubl]

Can anybody explain why a tablet needs 2 cameras - front and back?

Scanning bar codes? On what? Are they bar-coding students now (not a bad idea)?

Cant you use your common sense?

front camera is low quality for communication,to take picture of yourself(Thai teenagers love it,look on Hi5 or Sanook)

back camera is good quality,you can take pictures and shoot movies.

what is the purpuse of digital camera in classroom in hands of student? - here you need your common sense and a bit of imagination:

to take photo of blackboard with teachers writing on it;

to record teacher's lecture;

to record performence of school girls-only band;

to record performance of school theater;

to copy posters,pages from textbook;

to record science experiments;

and many other things.....

It's not really about what school children or students can do with tabletPCs. It's more an issue of what is useful and fitting within the curriculum defined for a certain school year. Even when standardizing to a single hardware platform I can imagine some functions to be disabled for early years and enable later on.

[OzMick]

So is the manufacturer of the first batch on the list of those invited to auction?

They're still busy completing the last order.

Give them time....

Computer Tablets Delivery Could Take Nearly 3 Years

http://www.thaivisa....inistry-source/

.

Hmmmm.........So if sufficient tablets are ordered for one school year, and delivered over 3 years, do some schools get 3 issues and others miss out, or is every school to get an issue and it's pot luck if you happen to be in the right year in the right school?

And do the tablets progress with the students, or stay at the same class, which may be a different size?

These are logical questions, which of course will already have been considered by the collective genii of PTP.

[Payboy]

It would be a wonderful world if post election reality was the same as pre election promises. But alas it is not the same.

I felt the same about sex sometimes.

Edited November 16, 2012 by Payboy

[borovik]

Can anybody explain why a tablet needs 2 cameras - front and back?

Scanning bar codes? On what? Are they bar-coding students now (not a bad idea)?

Cant you use your common sense?

front camera is low quality for communication,to take picture of yourself(Thai teenagers love it,look on Hi5 or Sanook)

back camera is good quality,you can take pictures and shoot movies.

what is the purpuse of digital camera in classroom in hands of student? - here you need your common sense and a bit of imagination:

to take photo of blackboard with teachers writing on it;

to record teacher's lecture;

to record performence of school girls-only band;

to record performance of school theater;

to copy posters,pages from textbook;

to record science experiments;

and many other things.....

It's not really about what school children or students can do with tabletPCs. It's more an issue of what is useful and fitting within the curriculum defined for a certain school year. Even when standardizing to a single hardware platform I can imagine some functions to be disabled for early years and enable later on.

You underestimate the power of natural intelligence.there is that guy,who runs project OneLaptopForOneChild in Africa Nicholas Negroponte.

He performed interesting and succesful experiment - distributing tablets to children without electricity,no help from teacher,

no instruction manual and far from civilisation.

Tablets from Acer,Taiwan came with some applications, memory card and solar charger.Card was used to record all activities on tablet and was changed every month.

They studied - how tablet was used and they discovered,that kids figured it out very fast.

At the end od experiment kids discovered how to hack google.All without any outside help if you do not count Sun energy.

Another development in this field: Gov.Of India decided to follow Thailand example and they distribute similar tablets to their needy children on massive scale;

but they charge 28$ for one child and also - 80$ for out of school public.Their tablets are made in India and they have simpler specification then Thai.

Problem with software? - my 4yrs olds fall in love with "Talking Cat",try it yourself - it will inspire you.Software needs creative minds and is in making."TalkingCat" is available free.

Ipads and Galaxys are great gadgets,but if destroyed by child - it will cause your liver to burst from pain,3000B loss is more easy to digest.

Technological progress in this field is so fast,that there is leap every 3 month.

there is not much sense in investing to much,to early.

[rubl]

Can anybody explain why a tablet needs 2 cameras - front and back?

Scanning bar codes? On what? Are they bar-coding students now (not a bad idea)?

Cant you use your common sense?

front camera is low quality for communication,to take picture of yourself(Thai teenagers love it,look on Hi5 or Sanook)

back camera is good quality,you can take pictures and shoot movies.

what is the purpuse of digital camera in classroom in hands of student? - here you need your common sense and a bit of imagination:

to take photo of blackboard with teachers writing on it;

to record teacher's lecture;

to record performence of school girls-only band;

to record performance of school theater;

to copy posters,pages from textbook;

to record science experiments;

and many other things.....

It's not really about what school children or students can do with tabletPCs. It's more an issue of what is useful and fitting within the curriculum defined for a certain school year. Even when standardizing to a single hardware platform I can imagine some functions to be disabled for early years and enable later on.

You underestimate the power of natural intelligence.there is that guy,who runs project OneLaptopForOneChild in Africa Nicholas Negroponte.

He performed interesting and succesful experiment - distributing tablets to children without electricity,no help from teacher,

no instruction manual and far from civilisation.

Tablets from Acer,Taiwan came with some applications, memory card and solar charger.Card was used to record all activities on tablet and was changed every month.

They studied - how tablet was used and they discovered,that kids figured it out very fast.

At the end od experiment kids discovered how to hack google.All without any outside help if you do not count Sun energy.

Another development in this field: Gov.Of India decided to follow Thailand example and they distribute similar tablets to their needy children on massive scale;

but they charge 28$ for one child and also - 80$ for out of school public.Their tablets are made in India and they have simpler specification then Thai.

Problem with software? - my 4yrs olds fall in love with "Talking Cat",try it yourself - it will inspire you.Software needs creative minds and is in making."TalkingCat" is available free.

Ipads and Galaxys are great gadgets,but if destroyed by child - it will cause your liver to burst from pain,3000B loss is more easy to digest.

Technological progress in this field is so fast,that there is leap every 3 month.

there is not much sense in investing to much,to early.

I think we talk cross purposes. I'm not denying that kids can be very inventive and imaginative, even to a point to totally confuse adults. The tabletPCs the government buys are meant to enhance, be incorporated into the school curriculum. By nature that has to be a bit strict, or at least give a solid framework to make sure that teaching results are as expected. Anything extra is just a plus.

With some schools allowing the kids to take the tabletPC home and some not, it is important that at least the in-school use delivers the required / expected results. As I wrote before today, I would also expect feedback from both schoolkids and teachers to be able to evaluate the way the tabletPCs are incorporated into the curriculum. This allows for tuning the program, especially as the introduction may have lacked solid study and preparations.

BTW awhile ago I posted a link to the Ethiopian project, in one of the tabletPC topics. Should still be there, I think. Note the target group in the project had no schools, no teachers, kids couldn't read or write. Boxes with the stuff were just dropped unopened. The results were really amazing!

[borovik]

Can anybody explain why a tablet needs 2 cameras - front and back?

Scanning bar codes? On what? Are they bar-coding students now (not a bad idea)?

Cant you use your common sense?

front camera is low quality for communication,to take picture of yourself(Thai teenagers love it,look on Hi5 or Sanook)

back camera is good quality,you can take pictures and shoot movies.

what is the purpuse of digital camera in classroom in hands of student? - here you need your common sense and a bit of imagination:

to take photo of blackboard with teachers writing on it;

to record teacher's lecture;

to record performence of school girls-only band;

to record performance of school theater;

to copy posters,pages from textbook;

to record science experiments;

and many other things.....

I understand the need for one, but it shouldn't be that difficult to mount a revolving model to face either way with software adjustable resolution?

BTW I would rather watch a cat cough up a hairball than venture into the mindless world of Hi5 or Sanook TYVM.

BTW Australians might remember that we had a mixed-sex singing group (children's entertainment) called Hi5. The tasty Asian lass sung a song called "if you had 3 wishes, would you give me one?" I certainly would.

Yes,your idea about camera is right.I had laptop where you could turn camera to face front or back.

But today - small cameras are dirt cheap,they use them for video calls,as front.To use camera for taking pictures and to substitude scanner in school inviroment - you need 5M;it doesnt work very fast and it is not very cheap.To use them - you need to look on display

During my last holidays I observed,that many people use ipads as their main cameras! at least they can compose their pictures nice and easy.

but I would not count on such solution - with chinese tablets.

@rubl - I did not see your link about Ethiopia and I did not know that story from the source.It is nice idea to teach and learn by play,but the results come usualy as a result of hard work.

[Bobsufc]

Can anybody explain why a tablet needs 2 cameras - front and back?

Scanning bar codes? On what? Are they bar-coding students now (not a bad idea)?

Cant you use your common sense?

front camera is low quality for communication,to take picture of yourself(Thai teenagers love it,look on Hi5 or Sanook)

back camera is good quality,you can take pictures and shoot movies.

what is the purpuse of digital camera in classroom in hands of student? - here you need your common sense and a bit of imagination:

to take photo of blackboard with teachers writing on it;

to record teacher's lecture;

to record performence of school girls-only band;

to record performance of school theater;

to copy posters,pages from textbook;

to record science experiments;

and many other things.....

I understand the need for one, but it shouldn't be that difficult to mount a revolving model to face either way with software adjustable resolution?

BTW I would rather watch a cat cough up a hairball than venture into the mindless world of Hi5 or Sanook TYVM.

BTW Australians might remember that we had a mixed-sex singing group (children's entertainment) called Hi5. The tasty Asian lass sung a song called "if you had 3 wishes, would you give me one?" I certainly would.

The purpose of a tablet computer is to be lightweight, portable and easy to slip inside a briefcase or schoolbag etcI fancy a swivel camera would be a detrimental to that. lets face it

Your just trying to cover up your ignorance in the first post. lol and then changing the subject You're hillarious.

Edited November 16, 2012 by Bobsufc

[Bobsufc]

I was at a seminar yesterday where an MOE spoksperson said there will be hi speed internet in every school withing 3 years so that the Kids can ose the tablets .

I asked her how much training they were giving the teachers to use the tablets in class and utilize the internet. It will probably be a case of the kids teaching the teachers how to use the tablets.

Yes and it is true if your grade one kiddie happens to break the tablet you pay 3000bht.

[bkk_mike]

Can anybody explain why a tablet needs 2 cameras - front and back?

Scanning bar codes? On what? Are they bar-coding students now (not a bad idea)?

Cant you use your common sense?

front camera is low quality for communication,to take picture of yourself(Thai teenagers love it,look on Hi5 or Sanook)

back camera is good quality,you can take pictures and shoot movies.

what is the purpuse of digital camera in classroom in hands of student? - here you need your common sense and a bit of imagination:

to take photo of blackboard with teachers writing on it;

to record teacher's lecture;

to record performence of school girls-only band;

to record performance of school theater;

to copy posters,pages from textbook;

to record science experiments;

and many other things.....

I understand the need for one, but it shouldn't be that difficult to mount a revolving model to face either way with software adjustable resolution?

BTW I would rather watch a cat cough up a hairball than venture into the mindless world of Hi5 or Sanook TYVM.

BTW Australians might remember that we had a mixed-sex singing group (children's entertainment) called Hi5. The tasty Asian lass sung a song called "if you had 3 wishes, would you give me one?" I certainly would.

Actually - moving parts would probably work out more expensive when maintenance has to be taken into account than simply having two cameras.

It's why tablets are such a good idea for kids. Everything is solid state. Barring dropping it in water, or dropping it from high enough to break the screen (or break an internal solder joint), there's very little that can go wrong with them until the battery stops keeping a charge.

Personally though, I believe what they should do is specify a minimum spec, and a maximum price, and then see what they get offered. (i.e. Let the manufacturers try to out-spec each other rather than just try and outdo each other on the cheapest price for the lowest spec.

After all, you could find someone offering a faster processor, or bigger battery, or more memory, or all 3, for not much more money. It all comes down to part costs. (i.e. often the internals of a slightly higher resolution camera may cost virtually the same. Similarly, you get different speeds of memory as well as different sizes.)

And maybe this time, they should, before finally placing the order, send someone to the factory in China to confirm that the manufacturing capacity is there to deliver...

[khaowong1]

Is any of the budget for connecting electricity to schools yet without?

Can anybody explain why a tablet needs 2 cameras - front and back?

Scanning bar codes? On what? Are they bar-coding students now (not a bad idea)?

Why were local companies excluded from the original contract? Because none could deliver by May, very much like the selected supplier?

I was thinking the same thing.. Scanning what bar codes? They going to take them in the 7-11's or what? And 2 cameras? What do you want to bet that a Thai company wins the bid? And said Thai company has to import them in from China..

Edited November 16, 2012 by khaowong1

[OzMick]

Can anybody explain why a tablet needs 2 cameras - front and back?

Scanning bar codes? On what? Are they bar-coding students now (not a bad idea)?

Cant you use your common sense?

front camera is low quality for communication,to take picture of yourself(Thai teenagers love it,look on Hi5 or Sanook)

back camera is good quality,you can take pictures and shoot movies.

what is the purpuse of digital camera in classroom in hands of student? - here you need your common sense and a bit of imagination:

to take photo of blackboard with teachers writing on it;

to record teacher's lecture;

to record performence of school girls-only band;

to record performance of school theater;

to copy posters,pages from textbook;

to record science experiments;

and many other things.....

I understand the need for one, but it shouldn't be that difficult to mount a revolving model to face either way with software adjustable resolution?

BTW I would rather watch a cat cough up a hairball than venture into the mindless world of Hi5 or Sanook TYVM.

BTW Australians might remember that we had a mixed-sex singing group (children's entertainment) called Hi5. The tasty Asian lass sung a song called "if you had 3 wishes, would you give me one?" I certainly would.

Actually - moving parts would probably work out more expensive when maintenance has to be taken into account than simply having two cameras.

It's why tablets are such a good idea for kids. Everything is solid state. Barring dropping it in water, or dropping it from high enough to break the screen (or break an internal solder joint), there's very little that can go wrong with them until the battery stops keeping a charge.

Personally though, I believe what they should do is specify a minimum spec, and a maximum price, and then see what they get offered. (i.e. Let the manufacturers try to out-spec each other rather than just try and outdo each other on the cheapest price for the lowest spec.

After all, you could find someone offering a faster processor, or bigger battery, or more memory, or all 3, for not much more money. It all comes down to part costs. (i.e. often the internals of a slightly higher resolution camera may cost virtually the same. Similarly, you get different speeds of memory as well as different sizes.)

And maybe this time, they should, before finally placing the order, send someone to the factory in China to confirm that the manufacturing capacity is there to deliver...

OK say that I accept your claim that a camera capable of revolving would be an unjustifiable added expense. Would the cost of a second camera for social intercourse not also be considered unjustifiable in an educational tool?

[EarthAlien]

IMHO the tablet project could be very beneficial in the right kind of learning environment and with teachers who are trained to use them and apply them in practical ways.

I spoke with our Grade 1 kid's teacher (farang) and he seemed to be enthusiastic and had clear objectives and plans for use which made good sense.

Sadly, this I feel will be the exception to the rule and that in the broader perspective the entire tablet campaign will end up in a huge wasted effort and waste of resources all so that the current government can save face and be seen to honor their election platform promises.

[Buchholz]

MPs are told of troubles with tablets

BANGKOK: -- The are many problems with the government's "One Tablet Per Student" initiative for Prathom 1 students, a Democrat member of the House's ICT committee said yesterday.

Songkhla MP Sirichok Sopa said only 700 out of 30,000 schools have wireless Internet connections for the tablets. Students aren't allowed to take the tablets home and they are only allowed to use them two hours a day. The panel was also told that the battery-charging cords are sub-standard and pose a risk of power leakage and electric shock.

The TOT spent Bt200 million to hire a private company to make software to prevent the children from accessing to pornographic sites, the panel was told.

Some tablets were broken, mainly due to incomplete operating systems. They were sent for repairs, but the exact number of broken tablets was not known.

-- The Nation 2012-10-12

Students might be able to take tablets home

BANGKOK, 11 February 2013 (NNT)-The Deputy Minister of Education, Mr. Sermsak Pongpanit, is set to meet with the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC) to find a way to allow students to take the tablets home.

Mr. Sermsak has proposed during the 1st education meeting attended by representatives from local education offices across the country that students should be allowed to take the tablets home.

The tablets given to Grade 1 students were part of the government’s one tablet per child policy. Mr. Sermsak said it is the wish of the Ministry of Education to make the most of the tablets by allowing them to be used at home.

He said children as well as their parents can be part of the learning experience. He added that the devices were not allowed to be taken home because they could have been damaged. Mr. Sermsak will discuss this issue with the OBEC whether taking out damage insurance coverage would be a better option than keeping the tablets locked inside the school at the end of the day.

Meanwhile, The Deputy Minister of Education further stated that he would oversee the next purchase of tablet computers by himself to assure its transparency.

-- NNT 2013-01-13