Tablet computer purchases suspended

[webfact]

Tablet purchases suspended
SUPINDA NA MAHACHAI
THE NATION

THE NATIONAL Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) has suspended purchase plans under the One Tablet Per Child scheme. The move affects not only the current academic year but the previous year as well.

The supplier for one of the four school zones failed to deliver tablet computers last academic year. A new tender process was being arranged by the Education Ministry even though the 2013 academic year was over, but NCPO deputy chief Admiral Narong Pipattanasai suspended the scheme for further review.

"We have to assess whether students have benefited from this scheme," he said on his first day at the Education Ministry.

He said a decision would be made next week on whether the One Tablet Per Child programme should be scrapped. "If it's abandoned, we will reallocate the budget to other educational projects such as the smart-room project," he said.

At a meeting with top education officials yesterday, Narong vowed to find funds quickly to repair and rebuild schools affected by the recent 6.3-magnitude earthquake in Chiang Rai.

He also expressed support for the student-loan project, which would need an additional budget to accommodate new applicants.


-- The Nation 2014-05-30

[Somtamnication]

I am starting to like this junta more and more. .Rice payments to poor farmers, reforming the police, canceling these tablet schemes, infrastructure reviews.......................

[NongKhaiKid]

A positive, long overdue move but there are those who want the scheme continued ! We could speculate why and it's not to better education.

I have yet to read a positive post on these tablets from parents on this forum who have children in school but, as is is be expected, previously govt officials hailed it as a raging success.

[siampolee]

We can but hope that this ongoing crusade concerning the destination of certain funds and the allocation of percentages of those funds is going to carry on along with the flushing out of the tainted officials who have made a profession of stealing redirecting funds to other areas as opposed to where they should going.

[Stradavarius37]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

A positive, long overdue move but there are those who want the scheme continued ! We could speculate why and it's not to better education.

I have yet to read a positive post on these tablets from parents on this forum who have children in school but, as is is be expected, previously govt officials hailed it as a raging success.

Anyone who thinks that spending billions on sh#tty Chinese pieces of cr@p that break right out of the box, and are filed with "lite" apps, is the way to educate children, is deluded.

[Piichai]

It really is heartening to see Prayuth taking a broom to these boondoggles.

Looking forward to continued success!

[Kasset Tak]

Many of my former students (P4) didn't even like the tablets when they finally got them in January last year!
Only games, no possibility to do homework, no possibility to print and low quality, more than 10% (7 out of 60) had problems and needed maintenance before the end of the first school year!

Edit: I forgot to mention that the units send for maintenance haven't yet returned... that's more than a year just waiting to get something repaired/fixed! Those students are back to using pen, paper and PC and they are happy not using the tablets anymore.

Edited May 30, 2014 by Kasset Tak

[millwall_fan]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I am starting to like this junta more and more. .Rice payments to poor farmers, reforming the police, canceling these tablet schemes, infrastructure reviews....................... alt=wub.png>

These will be the last rice scheme payments the farmers will get. From now on they are on their own again.

[chainarong]

It should go without saying , any projects associated with the PTP should all be investigated ,whether operating or under consideration, end of comment , end of story.

[Piichai]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I am starting to like this junta more and more. .Rice payments to poor farmers, reforming the police, canceling these tablet schemes, infrastructure reviews....................... alt=wub.png>

These will be the last rice scheme payments the farmers will get. From now on they are on their own again.

I doubt that.

And considering the sorry state the rice market is in due to Thaksin's "policies" there's a good chance we could see Abhisit's rice subsidy plan in force soon.

[IamNoone88]

Reassuring to see progress and important progress being made by General Prayut's team in such a short time. The junta has been very effective so far and in my opinion is doing a better job than the government ever has these past 8 years. More of it please.

[ianf]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I am starting to like this junta more and more. .Rice payments to poor farmers, reforming the police, canceling these tablet schemes, infrastructure reviews....................... alt=wub.png>

These will be the last rice scheme payments the farmers will get. From now on they are on their own again.

The rice scheme was one of the biggest scams ever. It was set up by Thaksin in order to bet on the world market price of rice. Withdraw the rice from the world market and the price goes up. Poor people all over the world then have to pay much more for their staple food. Except it did not work because India and Vietnam just filled the gap and thankfully the rice price did not significantly increase. If he had really wanted to help the poor farmers of Isaan then any intelligent person would have set up a huge regional irrigation scheme which would have ended food poverty once and for all. Think about your position here a little Millwall Fan. Every scheme set up by PTP. Thaksin was the same: Car dealers had to pay 5000 baht to Thaksin proxies for each car sold under the tax back scheme; Chinese manufacturers of the useless tablets had to pay a kick back to the same source. Nothing was done to benefit people per se, only to benefit one scamming family.

Edited May 30, 2014 by ianf

[IamNoone88]

Reassuring to see progress and important progress being made by General Prayut's team in such a short time. The junta has been very effective so far and in my opinion is doing a better job than the government ever has these past 8 years. More of it please.

[Valentine]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I am starting to like this junta more and more. .Rice payments to poor farmers, reforming the police, canceling these tablet schemes, infrastructure reviews....................... alt=wub.png>

These will be the last rice scheme payments the farmers will get. From now on they are on their own again.

Then they will join the poorest of the poor farmers who were not eligible for the scheme.

[maxme]

I am starting to like this junta more and more. .Rice payments to poor farmers, reforming the police, canceling these tablet schemes, infrastructure reviews....................... alt=wub.png>

These will be the last rice scheme payments the farmers will get. From now on they are on their own again.

I doubt that.

And considering the sorry state the rice market is in due to Thaksin's "policies" there's a good chance we could see Abhisit's rice subsidy plan in force soon.

And I doubt that will ever happen. He and his ilk have had plenty of time to implement that when they were in power. But one can hope that the parties will now start kissing the asses of the voters. However this is Thailand we are talking about.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

Edited May 30, 2014 by maxme

[casualbiker]

I am starting to like this junta more and more. .Rice payments to poor farmers, reforming the police, canceling these tablet schemes, infrastructure reviews....................... alt=wub.png>

These will be the last rice scheme payments the farmers will get. From now on they are on their own again.

And you know that for sure .... how?

At least they got paid!

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[saltandpepper]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I am starting to like this junta more and more. .Rice payments to poor farmers, reforming the police, canceling these tablet schemes, infrastructure reviews....................... alt=wub.png>

These will be the last rice scheme payments the farmers will get. From now on they are on their own again.

Tell me asgain what help did they receive from the reds?

[casualbiker]

I am starting to like this junta more and more. .Rice payments to poor farmers, reforming the police, canceling these tablet schemes, infrastructure reviews....................... alt=wub.png>

These will be the last rice scheme payments the farmers will get. From now on they are on their own again.

I doubt that.

And considering the sorry state the rice market is in due to Thaksin's "policies" there's a good chance we could see Abhisit's rice subsidy plan in force soon.

And I doubt that will ever happen. He and his ilk have had plenty of time to implement that when they were in power. But one can hope that the parties will now start kissing the asses of the voters. However this is Thailand we are talking about.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

What a stupid post! Abhisit's government DID have a rice subsidy plan.. the difference was the rice got sold not stored (keeping number one rice export spot)

As it was a subsidy there were no silly ideas about it being profitable like the dumb rice pledging scheme.

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Piichai]

I am starting to like this junta more and more. .Rice payments to poor farmers, reforming the police, canceling these tablet schemes, infrastructure reviews....................... alt=wub.png>

These will be the last rice scheme payments the farmers will get. From now on they are on their own again.

I doubt that.

And considering the sorry state the rice market is in due to Thaksin's "policies" there's a good chance we could see Abhisit's rice subsidy plan in force soon.

And I doubt that will ever happen. He and his ilk have had plenty of time to implement that when they were in power. But one can hope that the parties will now start kissing the asses of the voters. However this is Thailand we are talking about.

Pandering to get votes is not good for the country; you've just witnessed that in spades. Policies should be sustainable.

Sub-standard tablets didn't do the students any good, but the policy helped line the pockets of those in power.

[kimamey]

I am starting to like this junta more and more. .Rice payments to poor farmers, reforming the police, canceling these tablet schemes, infrastructure reviews....................... alt=wub.png>

These will be the last rice scheme payments the farmers will get. From now on they are on their own again.

I doubt that.

And considering the sorry state the rice market is in due to Thaksin's "policies" there's a good chance we could see Abhisit's rice subsidy plan in force soon.

And I doubt that will ever happen. He and his ilk have had plenty of time to implement that when they were in power. But one can hope that the parties will now start kissing the asses of the voters. However this is Thailand we are talking about.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

The Dems did have a rice scheme.

[prakhonchai nick]

The free tablets which didn't happen in the main, is somewhat akin to the first "village fund" money introduced under Thaksin.

In the Thaksin scheme, many bought mobile phones only to realise they could not afford the monthly fees to make calls.

With tablets, an internet connection is needed, and that costs extra money which many cannot afford.

Look around the villages though...There is no shortage of tablets and smart phones with the kids. No need for a government scheme!

[djjamie]

They are turning out to be the Junta "dream team"

Tablet failure was always going to be scrapped if anyone else came in.

The stark contrast of seeing a school room outside Kalasin with no light in the room, no windows (just holes in the wall), a basic concrete box, yet all the students have a tablet of which 3 or 4 were broken was interesting to say the least. And when the batteries ran out they could not charge them at school due to a lack of outlets.

[trainman34014]

How about relocating the funds into a decent teacher training scheme that actually produces proper teachers. Thailand may then at last be able to move forward in a meaningful way with properly educated children.

[noitom]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

They are turning out to be the Junta "dream team"

Tablet failure was always going to be scrapped if anyone else came in.

The stark contrast of seeing a school room outside Kalasin with no light in the room, no windows (just holes in the wall), a basic concrete box, yet all the students have a tablet of which 3 or 4 were broken was interesting to say the least. And when the batteries ran out they could not charge them at school due to a lack of outlets.

And most had no Internet connection.

[Emster23]

this whole affair was clearly just to skim off tea money, nothing to do with educating the kids (typical in education ministry). Along same lines as those bomb detectors. No idea what to use them for, no intensive training of teachers on how to use them and integrate into lessons, seems no actual specs on what these shoud be able to do, and of course no quality control. For those that still happen to be operative, plus is that kid can play games while teacher is droning on, reading from some book, brooking no questions or discussion.

[Roadman]

Yet more common sense and good news from the Junta. Keep it coming Khun General Prayuth and team. What an absolutely positive and refreshing coup.

[scorecard]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

How about relocating the funds into a decent teacher training scheme that actually produces proper teachers. Thailand may then at last be able to move forward in a meaningful way with properly educated children.

Well fine. Actually the new 5 year bachelor of education degree contains more modern teaching methodology but when new teachers go out to schools they very often run into roadblocks when they attempt to use these newer methods in the class room.

Most of the roadblocks are older teachers who totally refuse to change and push school directors / headmasters to have the newer activities stopped.

In many schools, especially big schools the older teachers en masse are quite powerful and in many schools headmasters / directors are frightened of their en masse power.

Change is sorely needed, change is possible, but it won't be easy. Perhaps it will need to force the intransient older teachers to retire.

More discussion needed.

[robblok]

I am starting to like this junta more and more. .Rice payments to poor farmers, reforming the police, canceling these tablet schemes, infrastructure reviews....................... alt=wub.png>

These will be the last rice scheme payments the farmers will get. From now on they are on their own again.

I doubt that.

And considering the sorry state the rice market is in due to Thaksin's "policies" there's a good chance we could see Abhisit's rice subsidy plan in force soon.

And I doubt that will ever happen. He and his ilk have had plenty of time to implement that when they were in power. But one can hope that the parties will now start kissing the asses of the voters. However this is Thailand we are talking about.

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

The problem of kissing asses of voters is that someone has to pay for it all. Raising the VAT wont make the poor happy. The middlle incomes wont like to pay more income tax (and they should not). Money does not appear from thin air, someone needs to pay. A property tax might be it. But still not that much money will come from that.

That is the problem with populist policies.. they ruin the market and a country. The farmers are now worse of as before the rice scam. All is on the head of Taksin.

[Valentine]

The free tablets which didn't happen in the main, is somewhat akin to the first "village fund" money introduced under Thaksin.

In the Thaksin scheme, many bought mobile phones only to realise they could not afford the monthly fees to make calls.

With tablets, an internet connection is needed, and that costs extra money which many cannot afford.

Look around the villages though...There is no shortage of tablets and smart phones with the kids. No need for a government scheme!

The village fund was a brilliant scheme as many of the recipients gladly went about buying handphones & motorbikes from those in power at the time. IMO this was policy corruption on a grand scale.

[kimamey]

this whole affair was clearly just to skim off tea money, nothing to do with educating the kids (typical in education ministry). Along same lines as those bomb detectors. No idea what to use them for, no intensive training of teachers on how to use them and integrate into lessons, seems no actual specs on what these shoud be able to do, and of course no quality control. For those that still happen to be operative, plus is that kid can play games while teacher is droning on, reading from some book, brooking no questions or discussion.

There's nothing wrong with newer technology but it needs to be used correctly and of sufficient quality. Like many of the PTP schemes the the basic idea was OK but the implementation was poor. You may well be right about the skimming of money.