Govt scales down plan to give free tablet PCs

[Admin]

PRE-POLL PROMISES

Govt scales down plan to give free tablet PCs
Chularat Saengpassa
Wannapa Khaopa
The Nation 2011-10-06

Any school ready to use tablet computers for teaching and learning will be given the tools early next year, Education Minister Woravat Auapinyakul told Nation Multimedia Group (NMG) yesterday.

He urged interested schools to prepare their teachers and students well to embrace the opportunity, as only schools that can prove they are capable of making use of the tablets will be chosen.

"We won't distribute them to all Prathom 1 [Grade 1] students in every school. We won't force every school to take the tablets. Teachers should be prepared for the technology. We are not concerned about students as they're from a generation ready and enthusiastic to learn from the technology - but teachers of the older generation may find it difficult to use such tools," Woravat said.

Budget will be allocated for the tablet distribution project in February, with distribution plans and their conditions completed in January, he said.

Woravat has an idea to provide the tablets with basic specifications, but if any schools want higher or advanced specifications, they can apply for funds to get them.

As strong competition in the tablet market brings down prices, he expects the tablets to be cheaper next year when the ministry buys them in volume.

To make the tablets more varied and useful, e-contents in extra subjects will be installed, some produced by the Office of the Basic Education Commission.

The minister yesterday discussed with NMG executives and editors his reason for a reshuffle of senior officials at the ministry - an issue that has been in the spotlight for two weeks.

He has been accused of bias or using political influence in moving some of the officials.

"My consideration was based on their work performance. People at the ministry know the chosen officials' performance very well," he said. A senior official he chose was a cousin of a member of the Democrat Party who had contested against him during the July election, but he did not care because she demonstrated good working ability.

"However, when I find any who cannot do their jobs well, I will certainly reshuffle them again."

Woravat was also criticised for being dominant as people have not seen any concrete work from his two deputy education ministers. Under his area-based education development policy, each minister is in charge of a different region.

"The deputy ministers cannot do much now since it is the end of the fiscal year. So, no budget is available for new projects. We're now in the process of creating the national strategic plan. I have had many meetings late at night with senior officials to create the plan and it will be finished this month. The 11th National Economic and Social Development Plan will have to adjust so that it will link into our education plan.

"The Education Ministry is a large agency with more than 500,000 personnel. We won't work without the plan to be implemented next year," he said.

The plan will stimulate higher employment by targeting universities to lead education development, passing on knowledge to schools, finding strong points of each area and strengthening basic education and students' working skills. It will be based on each area's strong points with help from vocational institutes.

Proficient practitioners will equip students with working skills; but the Government Teacher and Educational Personnel Act does not allow people without professional teaching licences to teach.

Woravat said he would adjust some regulations to allow experts from different professions to be involved in teaching.

Woravat said he would host a meeting with education ministers from Asean countries early next year to discuss how to prepare their education for the Asean Economic Community, which comes into effect in 2015.

[Prakhonchai Nick]

In pre- election speeches and adverts they were to be given to all school kids!

Another promise broken!

[Vombatus]

In pre- election speeches and adverts they were to be given to all school kids!

Another promise broken!

Oh!  Shock, Horror !



Not another unfulfilled promise from a politician ?

[Prakhonchai Nick]

Horror indeed. They were elected based on their false promises, and the looks of Miss Yingluck!

Grounds for impeachment?

[Vombatus]

I would impeach Mrs Yingluck any day !

[Prakhonchai Nick]

Join the queue CoCo!

[sugardaddyken]

Join the queue CoCo!

Why give free tablets to all PC's,I would of though just the sick ones for now 

And yes...... I would give Mrs Yingluck one too  .......her last one was hacked 

All joking aside,with all of Thailand's other problems at the moment ( floods and helping out farmers who have lost their crops) giving away free Tablet PC's to all children would seem irresponsible to do at this time ,when money for other needs are so pressing  or does Thailand have money to burn !!!

[Prakhonchai Nick]

Floods or no floods, it was never going to happen any more than the universal 300bt/day pay to all workers.