“Let
me state here and now that the Tablets in Schools project is here to stay ...
but it is time to move out of the pilot phase”
Minister of Science,
Energy and Technology, Dr Andrew Wheatley, speaking on the TIS (Table in
Schools) Project rollout plans
The
TIS (Table in Schools) program is back on track.
This
as a comprehensive audit will be done of the TIS Project with an aim to have a
full rollout come September 2016 as noted in the article “Government
To Fully Roll Out Tablet In Schools Programme”, published Wednesday June
22, 2016 by Jovan Johnson, The Jamaica
Gleaner.
 |
Minister
of Science, Energy and Technology, Dr. Andrew Wheatley, made this declaration
during his presentation on Tuesday June 21st 2016 during the 2016/17
Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives. In his presentation, he
promised an ending of the pilot phase of the TIS Project with a full rollout
for September 2016.
He
didn't give any details on the planned audit as well as his TIS Project rollout
plans, only stating that it would be a continuation of the same project that
Minister Phillip Paulwell had started as detailed in my blog article
entitled “Tablets
in Jamaican Schools by September 2014 – E-Learning Project II Public Education
Campaign needed to be successful”.
Tablet in School Rollout
in September 2016 – More Contractors and Kinesthetic Content Needed
So
far some 25,000 tablet have been distributed under the TIS Project.
Teacher
colleges such as the University of MICO have gotten Tablets as part of their teacher
training curriculum as explained in my blog article
entitled “How
Teachers' Colleges getting TIS Project Tablets heralds Projectors and
Interactive Whiteboards for Engaging Teaching”.
The
previous Minister of Science, Energy and Technology, Phillip Paulwell, had done
an audit of the TIS Project which had give the program high marks and had
extended it to June 2016 as explained in my blog article
entitled “Audit
of Jamaican TIS Pilot Project - Why Minister of Technology, Phillip Paulwell
extended to June 2016”.
That
audit has spotted the following problems that the current Administration has to
address:
1.
Ability to access non-educational sites
and adult content
2.
Students changing passwords and codes to
avoid parental interference
3.
Restricted access to downloading of
content and applications
Dr.
Wheatley promised more details in the coming days. This may include
announcement relating to:
1.
Contractors to supply Tablets
2.
Contractors to built out ICT
Infrastructure i.e. Wi-Fi Hotspot
3.
Contracts for Content Providers i.e.
Animation and Video Game content
The
other contractors relating to Tablets and ICT Infrastructure may also be
required to also demonstrate the capacity to full repair the tablet locally
instead of singing them abroad to be repaired. They'll have to also demonstrate
a more proficient protection system to prevent children from being able to
access content that is banned i.e. pornography websites and Social Media
Website. More importantly, Contracts for Content Providers i.e. Animation and
Video Game content.
Already,
there is one such example; the Ackee Walk program produced by Emprezz and
Stephen Golding as detailed in my MICO Wars blog article
entitled “Emprezz
and Stephen Golding's Ackee Walk Animates Digital Natives Saturday Morning”.
In
short, expect more Contractors and Kinesthetic Content Providers as the
Education system is gearing up for a major shift.
This
time, I'm hoping that the Ministry of Science, Energy and Technology will also
be extended to the Spanish Town High School along with improvements in the IT
Infrastructure i.e. Wi-Fi Hotspots as pointed out in my blog article
entitled “Why
Spanish Town High School should have Tablet in School Project with Homework
Rooms”.
Hopefully,
the Ministry of Science, Energy and Technology can also find a way to use the
Telecom Cess and Gasoline Cess to provide Laptops and Printers to Teachers as
well as additional Solar Power for school such as Spanish Town High, which are
more than deserving of such amenities.
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