Sri Lanka to replace text books with tablets
Sri Lanka plans to move away gradually from the traditional text book education system towards digital technology based education with the first step being the provision of tabs to GCE AL students, officials said.
As the technological world continues to advance rapidly, the Education Ministry will take measures to integrate technology within the classroom with the aim of enhancing the efficiency and efficacy of student learning, they added.
Many new technologies such as computers, laptops and computer labs have already become integral parts of the learning process in classrooms of the country’s urban and rural schools as well as lecture rooms in universities.
Tablets provide educators with a new method of teaching that combines traditional teaching elements with a more dynamic and engaging presentation method, a senior education consultant said.
Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure Minister Harin Fernando told the Business Times that 10-inch tabs programmed with the entire AL syllabus would be distributed to the students instead of free textbooks.
Printed text books related to the curriculum are to be replaced with the tab’s e-book file and lessons will be given using digital screens, he disclosed.
In the 2017 budget, the government has proposed to provide free tabs to almost 175,000 students in G.C.E. Advanced Level classes and for around 28,000 teachers as part of the ‘Smart Classroom’ project.
But according to Education Ministry statistics, around 250,000 students are enrolled in GCE AL classes, which implies that the budget allocation of Rs. 5 billion for tabs for 175,000 students would fall short in reaching the total number of students.
This means the Education Ministry has to find alternate means of obtaining 75,000 additional tabs by way of private sector sponsorship or donations.
The government is conducting discussions with top computer companies to procure tabs at concessionary prices to meet the total demand, a Treasury official said, adding that otherwise it has to present a supplementary estimate in parliament to seek the additional money needed to procure 75,000 tabs.
The 2017 budget allocation of Rs 5 billion was made by taking into account of the price of a quality tab which is around Rs. 26,000, he pointed out.
President of the National Campaign on Protecting Consumer Rights Ranjith Withange, in a media release noted that by providing free tabs for schools the government could earn considerable revenue as it has increased the levy on Internet services by 25 per cent, and the annual spectrum licence fee is also going up by the same amount.
In addition all operators will be forced to provide 3G coverage, and an additional levy of Rs.200 is to be imposed on each new sim card.
He urged the government to provide free Internet facilities for students and teachers for their actual benefits.
The government is negotiating with service providers to provide Internet services free of charge for the successful implantation of this “Smart Classroom” project, informed sources said.
However representatives of service providers say the government is yet to contact them on this issue. They say that they have been supporting the free wifi initiative (hotspots) by supplying the bandwidth free of charge.