Tablets for kids: Chinese-made, Android driven | Bangkok Post: learning

Easy English news

Yesterday we finally got some answers to the basic questions of "to whom?" "when?" "where"? and, most importantly "what?".

Please join us on our facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/bangkokpostlearning

Click button to listen to PCtablets2 and rightclick to download

Tablets for kids: Chinese-made, Android driven

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's woos voters during last year's election campaign with the promise of tablets for primary school students.

We have heard about PC tablets for young schoolchildren since the election campaign last year, but only yesterday did we finally get some answers to the basic questions of "to whom?" "when?" "where"? and, most importantly "what?".

According to permanent secretary for education Sasithara Pichaicharnnarong the Education Ministry will start distributing the first of three lots of tablet PCs to Prathom 1 (Grade 1) primary school students in May.

Students in the "green zones" which are ready to experiment with the tablets and are linked to the internet will get their tablets first, she said.

Those outside the green areas will get the tablets later when they are ready.

The tablets will have a dual core CPU with clock speed of more than 1GHz, and memory of 512MB RAM.

They will come with a seven-inch screen of 1024x768 resolution and a 16GB hard disk. The computers will use the Android operating system.

The tablets are part of the Pheu Thai Party's One Tablet PC Per Child policy, which has come under fire over budget issues.

Incoming Education Minister Suchart Thada-Thamrongvech told the Bangkok Post yesterday that he would definitely carry out the programme.

A teacher shows how to use the tablet PCs that will first be distributed to students in ‘green zones’. CHANAT KATANYU

"A total 900,000 tablets worth around 2 billion baht will be bought from China to prevent the possibility of corruption and then they will be delivered to all Pathom 1 students nationwide," he said. There are about 860,000 Pathom 1 students, including children in remote areas.

However, due to the large number of devices, he said he is concerned about delays in production.

To people with concerns that students will simply play games, Mr Suchart had this to say:

"Is playing games that bad? Parents can check what their children have seen on a tablet," said Mr Suchart.

Adapted from stories by Lamphai Intathep in today’s Bangkok Post.

campaign – a planned series of activities designed to persuade voters to vote for a particular candidate or political party การรณรงค์หาสียง
basic – of the simplest kind or at the simplest level พื้นฐาน, อันดับแรก, สำคัญ
woo – to try to get the support of someone หาเสียง, ขอคะแนน
permanent secretary – a government official, not a political appointee, in charge of a ministry ปลัดกระทรวง
distribute – to give something to a group of people แจกจ่าย
lot – a group or set of things or people ชุด,รุ่น
experiment – to try or test new ideas, methods, etc. to find out what effect they have ทดลอง
linked – connected เชื่อมต่อ เชื่อมโยง
resolution – the power of a computer screen, printer, etc. to give a clear image, depending on the size of the dots that make up the image ความละเอียดของภาพ, ความคมชัด
operating system – a set of programs that controls the way a computer works and runs other programs  ระบบปฏิบัติการซึ่งควบคุมการทำงานของคอมพิวเตอร์
policy – a set of plans or action agreed on by a government, political party, business, or other group นโยบาย
under fire – being criticised strongly ถูกวิจารณ์, โดนว่า
come under fire – to receive strong criticism ถูกวิพากวิจารณ์
budget – an amount of money able to be spent on something งบประมาณ
issue – a problem that needs to be considered ประเด็น
incoming – recently elected or chosen ใหม่
carry out to do and complete a task
nationwide – throughout a whole country  ทั่วทั้งประเทศ
remote – far away from other cities, towns, or people ที่ห่างไกล
due to – because of เนื่องจาก
device – a machine or piece of equipment that does a particular job อุปกรณ์ เครื่องมือ เครื่องจักร
concerned – worried about something   มีความกังวล
delay – to not do something until a later time or to make something happen at a later time ทำให้ช้า, ทำให้หยุดยั้ง, ทำให้เสียเวลา, เลื่อน
production – the process of growing or making food, goods or materials, especially large quantities การผลิต

Relate Search: PC tablets for Thai children