With 6500 electronic devices in the hands of 1st to 4th formers, the Board of Education (BoE) reported today that some devices are being destroyed.
The computer tablets were distributed in March as the Ministry of Education piloted an e-book initiative.
However, the BoE has highlighted the lack of care and protection of the electronic devices on the part of some of the recipients.
“There are reports of some e-books that were damaged, while others were listed as misplaced,” the ministry of education said in a statement.
“Anticipating they will be faced with such challenges, provisions are in place to provide students with replacements, but there will be a cost affixed to the damaged device, once an assessment is carried out, the same process that applies to hard copy textbooks,” it added.
The e-books are meant to reduce the high cost of purchasing hard copy texts.
A Board of Education official noted that from June 19 to 30, between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., damaged e-books can be submitted to Book Managers.
Parents are being asked to accompany students when returning the device at the various schools.
Currently, content for ten subjects are on the devices with more content expected to be added in short order by FortunaPIX, the company charged with digitizing the books.
“Additionally, those involved in the initiative will focus on equipping schools with high speed internet access. During the summer, fibre optic cables are to be laid that will result in 100 Megabytes of speed for the teaching and learning environment in time for the new school year, which commences in September, 2017.”
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