Request for another 300,000 tablet PCs

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Request for another 300,000 tablet PCs

SUPINDA NA MAHACHAI
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- The Cabinet will consider today a budget request for Bt800 million-Bt900 million so that 300,000 more tablet PCs can be handed out to schoolchildren.

The tablet policy management committee last week agreed to increase the distribution of tablets for the upcoming academic year from more than 600,000 units to 900,000.

As a result, all Prathom 1 (Grade 1) students under various ministries and some Prathom 4 (Grade 4) students can get a tablet.

The committee set the original budget for 700,000 tablets at Bt1.9 billion. Education Minister Suchart Thadathamrongvech said yesterday the government had told the Foreign Ministry to negotiate with China to supply the tablets under a government-to-government deal.

Olarn Chaipravat, an adviser to the prime minister, would oversee the contents and software that would be loaded on the tablets.

"The tablets need Internet access so students can search for information from the wider world. The students should be allowed to take them home.

"I've also planned a project that will give tablets to some parents so they can use them to gain more knowledge," he said.