Class 9 students still wait for tabs in BMC schools
In order to improve the quality of education and also to reduce the burden of school bags, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had decided to provide tablets in civicrun BMC schools, however, Class 9 students in BMC schools even after four months of schools starting have not received the tablets. Right to information (RTI) details dated September 6, 2017, reveal that the BMC so far has not started the procurement of tabs for the year 2017-18.
Shubhada Gudekar, chairman of the education committee of the BMC and Shiv Sena party corporator, claimed that students would be provided tablets soon. Gudekar said, “We invited tenders three times but due to no response the procurement of tabs got delayed. However, this time (fourth time) we received two bidders. Therefore, the process would commence soon.”
The BMC education department has announced the tender for the procurement of 12,000 tabs for class 9 students. From this year, the syllabus of class 9 students has changed. Therefore, students cannot use the old tabs used by previous class 9 students, the RTI reply stated.
Meanwhile, Ravi Raja, leader of Opposition (LOP) of BMC, remarked that even the Diwali vacations will start and Christmas holidays are ahead. Hence, instead of procuring 12,000 tabs the education department should float a tender for software update. As procurement of tabs proposal clearly states that the previous tabs are of no use once the syllabus changes.
He further alleged that just to benefit contractors the tablet distribution idea was brought in civic-run schools which in reality is a complete failure. The Senaruled civic body Yuva president Aditya Thackeray first brought the idea of e-book in civic-run schools. The BMC also made budgetary provision for it.