Technology experts have thrown their weight behind authorities’ plans to drop the Pheu Thai Party-initiated One Tablet per Child policy, saying the project was failing to meet its objectives.
The Education Ministry has proposed a plan to replace the controversial scheme with the Smart Classroom project, which would be established in every school instead of distributing tablet computers to Prathom 1 and Mathayom 1 levels starting from the 2014 academic year.
The project would equip classrooms with technology and interactive computer software.
Jarit Sidhu, senior market analyst at IDC Thailand, said the tablet project should be scrapped since the procurement process had proved a failure.
The project was a good intention of the previous government, as it can enhance students’ learning and reduce the country’s digital divide, but procurement and transparency have been major problems, he said.
Mr Jarit agreed with the Smart Classroom project, saying it would create a better e-learning environment since technology couldbe applied creatively to education.
“Giving only tablet computers to students does not guarantee to create new educational methods. Instead, the curriculum is a crucial part to reflect the standards of learning,” he said.
The new project could also reduce the costs of IT system management control.
Sontiya Nujeenseng, country manager of Intel Microelectronics (Thailand), said Thailand was the only country giving away tablets to students on a large scale for free, while other countries had adopted the Smart Classroom model.
Panuwat Khantamoleekul, managing director of Supreme Distribution, a supplier that won a bid to supply tablets for Zone 3 of the scheme’s second phase, said the project had faced many problems, particularly relating to procurement and delivery.
If authorities want to move ahead with the tablet policy, new procurement methods should be applied by using decentralised systems to reduce the delivery problem, he said.
However, Mr Panuwat said the tablet project was a good idea, as it provided an opportunity for students to access the internet and experience computers.
Thailand has one computer per 20 students compared with one per four students in developed countries.
Up to 7,000 schools in the country out of a total of 30,000 still have no chance to access computers.
Harry Yang, managing director of Acer Computer (Thailand), said the Smart Classroom project would enhance students’ ability to use both hardware and applications more efficiently.