Tablet delivery delayed
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Students in first AND seventh grades in several provinces will not get their free tablet computers in the upcoming semester as scheduled. This delay was caused by purchase checks by the Office of the Auditor General after irregularities were detected.
Education Minister Chaturon Chaisang said yesterday the One Tablet PC Per Child policy would continue. He felt it had been a success despite the fact teachers have complained that students spend more time “sneakily” playing games on the tablets, rather than using them for study purposes.
Chaturon cited a ministry report saying that those who used the tablets had better grades and were more enthusiastic with their studies.
The OAG recently issued a memorandum addressed to the Education Ministry, questioning the purchase of the tablets for schools in several provinces that come under the jurisdiction of two administrative agencies.
Chaturon said the tablet purchase had to be delayed following the OAG query.
The ministry, through the Office of Basic Education Commission, will decide on Thursday if it should officially halt the purchase of the tablet computers for these schools. Chaturon had earlier suspended the purchase of tablet computers in other administrative areas for schools based in certain provinces in the Central region and South.
