Jintana Maensurin,
director of the Pattaya Education Office, with one of the new tablet
computers front right on her desk.
Phasakorn Channgam
Pattaya first-graders will receive 1,500 tablet computers as
part of the national government’s “one tablet per child” initiative.
Pattaya Education Office Director Jintana Maensurin said the Prathom
1 pupils will be allowed to keep the Chinese-made, Android-powered
tablets for two years, using them in class and at home to study
reading and writing.
“I believe that the one tablet per child project will help innovate
the education system,” she said, adding, “The tablets will have
software to prevent children from accessing the Internet
inappropriately.”
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra proposed the “one tablet per
child” initiative as part of her election campaign last year. The
government this year purchased 860,000 seven-inch “Scopads” from
supplier Shenzhen Scope for $81 each as part in a
government-to-government purchase. Pattaya is one of the last cities
to receive its allotment.
Jintana said teachers have been trained to teach courses with tablet
use in mind, as the Ministry of Education has loaded the tablets
with reading, writing and storybook programs.
Wireless Internet access, a key feature in tablet computers, remains
a problem, however. Jintana said most schools only offer Wi-Fi in
their libraries, but the city is talking with TOT Public Co. to
outfit schools with campus-wide access.
Jintana admitted the technology is a bit scary for the young
children, with many refusing to take the tablets home for fear of
losing or breaking them. Parents also must place a deposit against
loss or damage before they are allowed to remove the tablets from
school property.
