Batch of half a million tablets arrives for public school students

[Dolores]

The Ministry of Education announces it has received 537,432 electronic tablets it will distribute to public school students. The batch is 67% of a recent order of the electronic devices to back remote learning programs. Only a handful of schools are authorized to reopen to in-person learning and distance learning programs are the norm for the 2020-2021 school year. The school year ends 29 July 2021. Education Minister Roberto Fulcar says the Ministry has spent RD$5.55 billion for the purchase of the tablets.

The Ministry reports the breakdown of the tablets by brands is: Samsung Galaxy (309,960), Alcatel Aquaman (217,432), and Lenovo (10,040).

As reported, the education authorities have already distributed around 1.5 million laptops for teachers in the school year that began in November 2020.

Meanwhile, the World Bank issued a statement...

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[bob saunders]

too little, too late, but I guess better late than never.

 

[CristoRey]

Very long way to go.

 

[josh2203]

How about the complaints of school buildings not even having water or bathrooms? Internet is nice but if the school does not have one, how will it work? How about internet without electricity.

I'm all for progress with technology, but I feel that first the basic utilities should work reliably before advanced technology.

 

[USA DOC]

too little, too late, but I guess better late than never.

Never would be better with these tablets... the first ones were given out last December, to students in 4th grade and under...within a month most of these tablets stopped working and the schools are still waiting for parts...the students in the 5th grade and up got a simple computer, these have fared better as most are still working... now if only most of the students still had these computers, as most were sold or stolen... and the few that still had a working tablet or computer ,now need the internet and electric, and that is the reason that classes that had about 40 students have 3 or 4 that log on to remote learning ...But on the bright side last friday when the food was given out, they had sardines..........

 

[bob saunders]

How about the complaints of school buildings not even having water or bathrooms? Internet is nice but if the school does not have one, how will it work? How about internet without electricity.

I'm all for progress with technology, but I feel that first the basic utilities should work reliably before advanced technology.

I can only speak for the public schools I have been in here in Jarabacoa. Both high schools that I have been in have computer labs with A/C. The washrooms are horrible but functional with running water and electricity. The roof leaks in half the hallways but the classrooms are ok. The two public elementary schools close to my house are both fairly small and everything works in both of them. All of them have inversors but I believe only for the office. I never noticed if they have tinacos and have no idea if they have underground water tanks.

 

[melphis]

I agree but fixing structural problems is not stylish to the rest of the world. Giving out tablets looks good for photo opps but the media seems to disappear when things like no electricity, no internet, the tablets a 3rd rate crap, etc pop up.

Looking good counts. Reality takes a back seat again.