Even though a contract with the Chinese firm
has yet to be signed, the Cabinet last night approved the purchase of 1 million
tablet computers for elementary students instead of the initial 900,000,
Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Minister Anudith Nakornthap
confirmed last night.
However,
the purchase contract with Shenzhen Scope Scientific Development could not be
signed immediately over fears of legal problems, especially since the signing
had been cancelled several times previously.
The
number of units to be purchased has been increased from 900,000 to 1 million,
raising the budget to about 2.4 billion baht (US$77.5 million) from the initial
1.9 billion baht. Besides, the ICT permanent secretary will be signing the
contract instead of Anudith.
The
contract was to be signed last Thursday, but the government and the Chinese
firm rescheduled the finalisation of the contract to yesterday. The
manufacturer failed to produce a standby guarantee from the Bank of China on
the day before.
However,
Jirawan Boonperm, ICT permanent secretary, said she had no idea when the
procurement deal would be sealed, as documents from the ministry and the
Chinese supplier still need to be readied.
Last
night, Anudith admitted that the first lot should be delivered by June, though
schools open for the next semester in mid-May - a deadline the government had
once promised to beat.
The
purchase includes units for schools run by the Bangkok Metropolitan
Administration (BMA) as well as some institutions in Pattaya City. BMA will be
giving 137 million baht (US$4.4 million) to the ICT Ministry for the devices.
"The
Office of the Attorney General has already returned the contract to the ICT
Ministry, which has prepared all the documents. We are waiting for Shenzhen
Scope Scientific Development to tell us when it is ready to sign the
contract," he said.
In
response to reports that the company had not obtained a bank guarantee, he said
the ministry would have to look into the issue.
The One
Tablet Per Child policy was a hallmark of the Pheu Thai Party's election
campaign, and the government has promised to distribute the tablets to Prathom
1 schools next month.
The
first batch of 2,000 tablets is due to be delivered for inspection 15 days
after the contract is inked.
Anudith
said the devices would be closely checked and if any flaws were discovered, the
entire manufacturing process would have to be revamped from the start.
The
Education Ministry has already prepared content to be uploaded into the
tablets.
Education
Minister Suchart Tadathamrongvej said about a million tablets, requiring a
budget of 2.4 billion baht, would be bought for Prathom 1 students in both
government and private schools. Ministry officials showed Prathom 1 students
how they could use their tablets.
Chinnapat
Bhumirat, secretary-general of the Office of Basic Education Commission, said
336 learning objects for English and Thai languages, mathematics, social
studies and science would be installed in each tablet as well as PDF files.
Her
office will also provide a dictionary as well as drawing and painting programs,
and is considering including multiplication tables, poetry and other
applications.
Sirivish
Toomgum and Chuleeporn Aramnet
The
Nation
Business & Investment Opportunities
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