The delivery of the second batch of tablet computers to Prathom 1 (Grade 1) and Mathayom 1 (Grade 7) students will be delayed for several months, Deputy Education Minister Sermsak Pongpanich said on Wednesday.
It was planned that another of 1.8 million tablet computers would be distributed to students and their teachers in time for the start of the new semester on May 16.
"It is not possible to distribute these tablet computers in time beause there are several steps still to complete," said Mr Sermsak, who chairs the sub tablet committee.
The terms of reference for an electronic auction would be finalised by March 13 and the tender auction date was tentatively set for April 25.
The Office of the Basic Education Commission (Obec) would organise the auction, for the procurement of all 1,803,337 tablet computers for nine organisations operating education services.
These are the Department of Local Administration, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, Pattaya Administration, the Bunditpatanasilpa Institute, the Education Ministry's Office of the Permanent Secretary, the Office of Higher Education Commission, the National Office of Buddhism, the Royal Thai Police, and the Institute of Physical Education.
Each organisation would then have to sign its own procurement contract with the winning company, or companies.
"The procurement contracts will be signed in May and the tablets will be delivered within 90 days after signing the contracts, not later than the end of September," the deputy education minister said.
Obec secretary-general Chinnapat Bhumirat said those nine education jurisdictions were reminded to submit their letter of attorney to Obec before March 15.
He said the Comptroller General's Department had already suggested nine companies to Obec for consideration.
Providing tablet computers for school children was one of the Pheu Thai's key election policies.