'Smart Classroom' with Tabs for teachers and students

The Ministry of Telecommunication & Digital Infrastructure, in cooperation with the Education Ministry, will introduce a programme called ‘Smart Classroom’, where Tabs will be provided to teachers and students to conduct lessons on selected subjects.

Telecommunication & Digital Infrastructure Minister Harin Fernando told Education Times that, initially, the facility will be provided to 100 schools for students above Grade 9, in Maths, Science and English. The tabs will be collected at the end of the period.

"The entire textbook will be accessible via the Tab, so that the student will not be required to carry the textbook to school," he said.

He said, if the scheme is successful, they intend expanding it to other subjects above Grade 9.

ICTA Project Manager, Sameera Jayawardena said, at first, the scheme will be introduced to 25 schools.

"This scheme very is useful to teach practical subjects such as Science. For instance, to teach a lesson on blood circulation, the facility will be better than trying to learn and understand by looking at a picture," Mr Jayawardena said.

He said, "For instance, the facility could be used to teach Archeology, where the interior of a historic location could be taught in a classroom. Two classrooms will be combined to teach one subject."

Mr Jayawardena said the contents are already under preparation, with the assistance of the Education Ministry.

"This facility is available in other countries and is very useful to schoolchildren," he said.

The tab to provided to students will be with a 10" screen.