The One Tablet per Child education policy initiated by the Pheu Thai Party has hit another snag as students who were given the free devices will have to wait to use new educational content on them due to a year-long delay in the computers' delivery.
The tablet computer scheme for the 2013 academic year was divided into zones 1-4 for Prathom 1 (Grade 1) and Mathayom 1 (Grade 7) students and their teachers across the country.
The tablets came with content for those grades but because of the one-year delay the students have now moved up to higher grades, Prathom 2 and Mathayom 2, and therefore need new content.
"The Office of the Basic Education Commission [Obec] will send ICT staff from the primary and secondary educational service area offices to install new content on the tablets for Prathom 2 and Mathayom 2 students as soon as possible,” said an Obec official and tablet committee member who requested anonymity.
Content and other learning tools for Prathom 2 and Mathayom 2 students have been developed, he said.
"The problem is the procurement contract specifies the tablets belong to Prathom 1 and Mathayom 1 students so the content installed on the devices is also for Prathom 1 and Mathayom 1 students. They have of course moved up to other classes and we will work to get the appropriate content to them soon," the source said.
The scheme has been delayed by bid-rigging suspicions and cancellations of procurement contracts as the winning companies also failed to meet delivery deadlines.
Haier Electrical Appliances and Thai Transmission Industry (TTI) won the contracts to supply 431,105 and 373,637 tablets respectively for Prathom 1 students in zones 1 and 2.
For Zone 3, Supreme Distribution won the contract to supply 426,683 tablets for Mathayom 1 students and teachers in central and southern provinces. The bidding for Zone 4 to procure 402,889 tablets for Mathayom 1 students and teachers in northern and northeastern provinces was suspended after the coup.
Tablets in Zone 1 are due to be distributed to students next month.
Tablet delivery in zones 2 and 3 has seen several lots of tablets handed to students and subsequent lots are expected to reach all students in the near future.
In addition, Obec will meet the agencies concerned tomorrow to review the overall tablet policy as requested by navy chief Adm Narong Pipattanasai, appointed by the National Council for Peace and Order to oversee social and psychological affairs which include education.
Because of the controversies surrounding the tablet project, he has ordered a review of the scheme, which led to the suspension of tablet procurement for Mathayom 1 students in Zone 4.