Hyderabad: Kids as young as two are being taught with tablets in schools in Hyderabad. Some schools are also keen (if not already using) on employing these latest electronic gadgets for teaching high school sections.
A section of parents is strongly opposing this new form of learning, which they say has more negatives than positives. But the school managements have a different view.
Esperenza pre-schools that has over 15 branches in the state capital have made it mandatory to buy tablets (supplied by the school) for kids studying from play school till UKG.
A parent, whose child is studying in the school, questioned the need to give electronic devices to children at such a tender age. The tablets supplied by the school costs Rs 10,000, including software, she said.
“It is becoming increasingly difficult for parents to stop kids from operating cell phones and other gadgets at home. And if tablets are put in their hands they will get addicted to it, resulting in more headaches for us,” she complained.
When contacted, Espe-renza schools’ general manager Ms Komal Mathews said that the child-friendly tablets were used only for educational purposes and that too for three periods a week.
“Activities such as counting of numbers, identification of animals, shapes, colours and sounds etc. are being taught under strict supervision of teachers. They cannot download apps or play games, whatsoever, unlike regular tablets,” she said.
Parents of Chirec have received letters from school authorities about their keenness to use tablets along with regular teaching methods for classes VI to X.
“We were asked to either get our own tablets and buy software of Rs 4500 or buy Lenovo devices supplied by the school for Rs 10,000 or Rs 19,300 each, along with software. There was no option to check whether parents are supporting or opposing the idea,” a parent said.
Glendale Academy is conducting an opinion poll on tablet usage for classes VI to VIII. E-mails have been sent to parents to this effect this month.
