Educator expresses concern over tablet program

Nicholas believes the tablet program must be managed properly
Nicholas believes the tablet program must be managed properly

President of the Dominica Association of Teachers (DAT) and Principal of the Community High School, Celia Nicholas, has raised concerns over the ‘one table per child program’ stating that although she welcomes the initiative, her biggest fear is allowing the students to leave the school compound with the devices.

She also said the program should be properly managed and supervised.

Nicholas is of the opinion that the Ministry of Education will not present students with anything that would be “demoralizing,” however, what’s important is “the use of it”.

“I know that if the Ministry of Education is going to give the students any resources, it would be to enable them as an individual,” she said, adding, “How are we going to use it? How our students are going to use it?”

She is concerned over students leaving the school compound with the tablets.

“My fear is the liberty to allow the children to leave the school compound with it … this is my fear,” she said on state-owned DBS Radio’s Talking Point on Tuesday.

Nicholas gave an example where she explained that someone was careless with the password for the Wifi at her school and students got hold of it.

“You should have seen what I picked up,” she noted. “They were not looking at classes or anything … pornograpy and on sites and then the kind of people that were contacting them. This is my fear, yes it has to be used but has to be managed…it has to be supervised very carefully. We have to think of the sustainability too…”

Government launched the program at the Pierre Charles Secondary School (PCSS) on Wednesday.

Over 5,000 tablets will be made available to secondary school students in Dominica, authorities said.

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68 Comments

  1. hmmph
    October 2, 2015

    everything is computerized n modernized so i think you should get ur self modernized …. everything now a days is the internet some teachers leaving books and going on the internet so leave them children vive yer bon…. yes they will get distracted but thats life everybody gets distracted

  2. John
    October 2, 2015

    The idea of one tablet per child is not a bad idea except that this idea of implementation must be carefully supervised for use among students. The endeavor does not end with the lack of knowledge of control and supervision. Hence I’d like to add that we need to be big thinkers on innovation and strategy. Hence we can turn each school recipient to turn the school into a lab center and make those devices a school property rather that a child tablet.

    The children should have full access to the volumes of education information on board, however the devices should NOT under the control of the school students.

  3. PJ
    October 2, 2015

    Poverty is b***h and domcans too small minded my kid brother has a tablet since he was in primary school
    No restrictions WiFi at home internet kicking and he ok but when u begging ppl does want to do what they want with you
    Don’t go home with it, don’t do this don’t go that

  4. Just curious
    October 1, 2015

    Just wondering how will the teachers utilize the tablets in class when none were left for school use by teachers? are the teachers to purchase theirs and take them to school for teaching while students got theirs free of charge?

  5. Paddy
    October 1, 2015

    Shame on you DNO for publishing such crass language, when you either reject or delay publishing innocuous comments.

    This is truly abhorrent.

  6. zuma
    October 1, 2015

    Care taker i am scared for the woman u marrry. Your attitude stinks and am glad am teaching my son to keep clear of the likes of you uneducated rascal.

  7. More stress
    October 1, 2015

    There was no plan by any one in Skerritt’s DLP Gov’t to implement a programme of :one tablet-per child.

    All of a sudden, in a DLP 2014 election campaign, Skerritt holds up a Tablet, and promises what many are being hoodwinked into.

    No initial carefully thinking through the advantages/disadvantages, no participation with those involved, direrctly, on a day-to-day basis, with the students. Teachers, principals out-of-the-picture. No consultation prior to campaign promise.

    What are the policies in those schools in Dominica as pertains:
    Safe, responsible, appropriate use?
    Parent/guardian responsibilities? Student responsibilities?
    Monitoring,evaluation?
    What about acceptable Use?
    Any consequences for improper use?

    Where? what policies do the schools have as regards those new technologies?

    Contamination. Most sat there and said nothing about the promised tablet on a political platform by Skerritt. All follow the bribe scheme like …………..

    • Shaka zulu
      October 1, 2015

      These folks just don’t get it. Talk about maintainance and how they going to sustain. This guy is adding more financial stress on gov with no reason or thought. Seems like 5 minutes before campaign he remembered Venezuela was giving tablets and made wild promise. Now they are forced to deliver without due diligence or consultation. The folks who implement just sit there and take crap for fear of losing the little scarce job.

  8. Tjebe fort
    October 1, 2015

    Carcon, giving each student a free copy of the constitution would have been much cheaper and very educational.

  9. Titiwi
    October 1, 2015

    I just hope the tablets did not come from the same source as the infamous bobol bins as a job lot and when he says “thank you” to Venezuela for this gift the funds used did not come form the pot of the Dominica National Petroleum company, in lieu of paying PDVA the money we owe them.

  10. Malgraysa
    October 1, 2015

    I will always encourage people to to use information technology to advance their education but to me the free supply of these i-pads was never more than a political gimmick, a bribe if you will.
    For a start , if the motivation by the P.M. was sincere he could have removed duties and taxes from l imported IT equipment before now.
    This tablet programme is not sustainable. Are they going to collect the used (second hand) pads from students, who are leaving school and give them to those joining the education system? Or will all new students be equiped with new tablets ad infinitum?
    Also, the issue of these free tablets could not be more ill-timed. What view are outside donors going to take of a government that provides free tablets,in a country with limited wi fi coverage while we are still in a disaster mode and unable to provide all citizens with clean and safe water. They surely must question our choice of priorities.

  11. Roger Burnett
    October 1, 2015

    One field in which internet access can benefit students, is the Visual Arts: a subject that is largely neglected in our schools. In recent years the collections of the world’s major art galleries have been made available on-line. Moreover, many of today’s practicing artists post information on their working methods.

    Fifteen years ago, before the days of “blogs”, I began an on-line diary page that followed my work as a painter and sculptor. Schools, colleges and individuals throughout the world accessed the site. The diary pages continue from my studio at Antrim. At the last count, sulpturestudiodominica.blogspot.com was being accessed by artists, art students and art lovers in 34 countries!

  12. peaceful
    October 1, 2015

    personally I think that the kids should be allowed to go home with the tablets but with everything they should be programmed to restrict the access to certain sites before distribution.

  13. ATKINSON
    October 1, 2015

    This is just another one of the DLP feel good ideas, that will not work as designed. And there in no details on how the tablets are to be used in or outside the classroom. Such what percentage of classroom work will the tablets be used for, who is responsible for the repairs when damage, Can the students used them while at home for or at social events, like taking photos. As for blocking some site. this will be a challenge. These students are too tech savvy, give them a few minutes and the will figure how to get around any block. What the government should have built is an intranet system, just for the schools, where outside information(social media, porn) can be blocked. But they kept their promise, if it fails, it will not be the first that did not work as promised. Lets just wait and see. Give the tablets a chance

  14. mine
    October 1, 2015

    Everything in this country is a problem how can it inprove with so much negativity. Nicholas we in the twentieth century.

  15. Erika taught me well
    October 1, 2015

    Ms. Nicholas I hold you in the highest regards but you missed the boat this time. You have great influence in Dominica so your comments should be made long ago not now that the tablets has arrived. Still respect you big time

  16. DEMOCRACY UNDER SIEGE
    October 1, 2015

    You all should be concerned! Don’t get fooled by the seemingly generous gesture of the Government. No one really knows what’s the motive. In addition. who knows what the Chinese have planted in these devices.
    These might well be China’s ‘Trojan Horse’! Mark my words people and be cautious. Sometimes, when something seem, Too Good to be True, it often is!

  17. The Real Facts
    October 1, 2015

    It is quite simple. I agree with her. She would not like to see them leave the school with the tablets. I visualize that they may very well sleep with them. which means using them all night. They could get addicted to them and access Websites which are inappropriate for them. Their homework will suffer.
    The tablets should be left in school under lock and key and only used during school for their school work. This is what I deduce from her concern.
    She is an educator and a disciplinarian. She has a valid reason to be concerned and for their learning process.

  18. Drought
    September 30, 2015

    :?: :?: Why every time some type of advancement is given opportunity on this island there has to be someone in position to come forth with some kind of historical opinion….we are in the year 2015 goin on to 2016..why in the world would someone come to think this way, for a school child to be given an ipad by the leader of the country and is required that the device be left on the school compound…who is the device being donated to?? The student or the school? Smh

  19. Secondary student
    September 30, 2015

    You guys are talking about the use of the tablets not all students are the same some do things differently u can’t let some children pay the price for the others if the tablets have to stay in school how are we going to do our homework we need to think and put one and one together so be realistic ppl if its for us then we should be able to take care of it back and forth then if it damage in our hands our parents will have to pay the price :( :(

  20. Film Guy
    September 30, 2015

    All I have to say is I went to her school 15 years ago and I left half way through, If the education of Dominican youth depends on her then I’m sorry they won’t get anywhere. Technology is the key to education today by any means necessary.

    • The Real Facts
      September 30, 2015

      As always, it is your opinion which does not reflect that of others and which no one should take seriously.
      It appears she is a disciplined person. It also appears you are not which is why you left. If you had the type of disciplined parents and of course if you were obedient, you would not have left her class, the school. So, in Dominica, what happened to you after you left the school and her class?

    • Dasheen leaf
      October 1, 2015

      100 thumbs down from me alone

    • Titiwi
      October 1, 2015

      Film Guy, I would submit that your leaving school halfway through could be a reflection on you rather than on Ms. Nicholas and your comment may be taken to confirm that you have not learned that much in the intervening fifteen years.

    • marie-claire
      October 1, 2015

      Puss maybe you were the not so smart one she it was time for you to exist. Carmem

      • Me
        October 1, 2015

        Sorry Marie Claire but I can’t make heads or tails of your comment. Could you translate it into plain, simple English please?

    • Excuse Me?
      October 1, 2015

      Perhaps your “malkasay” behaviour and your “baldy broghtupsy” may have been the real reason you could not finish Dominica Community High School. What does that have to do with the issue being discussed?

    • October 1, 2015

      “Technology is the key to education today by any means necessary.”

      There’s actually a fair bit of scientific evidence that this isn’t so. And I say that as an educational technologist.

  21. Jaheim Pierre
    September 30, 2015

    On a serious note mam that is why the space for innovation is very slim because you all try to blocked it off. And correction seeing the photos it is not tablets it is Ipads that is an example of slim innovation and at the end of the day you guys expect the next bill gates, larry page , steve jobs or mark zuckerberg think so call educator

    • The Real Facts
      September 30, 2015

      It could be a grave error giving those children tablets with no supervision and allowing them to take them home. They may never do any homework. Their education may suffer.

    • Me
      October 1, 2015

      Your blog is full of grammatical errors and bad spelling. Fine education that i-pad is giving you!

  22. jack
    September 30, 2015

    Stop cell- phones it has internet as well, or are only going to give it to rich people’s children .Come on this is 2015. Parents Teachers Dominica lets help our children.

  23. dortyboy
    September 30, 2015

    She is right to some extent but the students should be allowed to take it home as long it is returned at the end of every semester for upgrading of software\’s and to distribute to new and incoming students. If that\’s the case then the government will have to find tablets for every new incoming student every year
    basically the tablets should be the schools property and handed to students while they are at school or in school grounds. one or the other

    • The Real Facts
      September 30, 2015

      The Websites she spoke about should be blocked. They could be, so that they do not access pornography and the likes.
      The tablets are for learning; not for viewing unbecoming programs on Websites. There are too many adults who are out to contaminate the little minds of children.

  24. conscious
    September 30, 2015

    I hope these tablet are given with rules and regulations. My child got a tablet from school, high school these tablet was set up with certain sites blocked. Attached the end of high school they were to be returned or they could be purchased by the student at a lower price. Are there going to be technicians to repair them.
    CSA SHELF THERE INCREASE THE TABLET SHOULD BE SHELVED.

  25. Governance
    September 30, 2015

    Mrs Nicholas, you are absolutley correct. My attends a school and the kids use chrome books.

    The books remain at their desks.
    If the book is damaged by the our son, we pay for the book
    The sites which the students can access are limited and they are monitored. If they stray, the consequences are dire.

    However, if the laptops remain at school, how are they being secured? I bet, schools will be broken into to steal the laptops. All those logistics should have been addressed before. We tend to do things without consultation and we continue to maintain that knowlwdge resides in one set of people.

    • Just saying
      October 1, 2015

      I agree with your comment 100%

  26. Caretaker
    September 30, 2015

    what a bad mistake! but it turns out that, we identify the bad parents. If this item belongs to the school it must stay in school, but if it is personal it remains at home. full stop

  27. Jimmy Honore
    September 30, 2015

    Next election young men and women will get ferraris.

  28. Jordan
    September 30, 2015

    Nicholas stop creating robots in our society, we need thinkers and creative people we need home schooling legislation in Dominica.

  29. Thorbjørn Jagland
    September 30, 2015

    Nicholas, why do u hate liberty? Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium and Amsterdam developed by giving people freedom & liberty, u are too socialists, that is why we have no inventors or nobel peace prize winners in Dominica, children need freedom to be creative, stop stifling the children the way u want to mold them. This education system needs a change.

    • The Real Facts
      September 30, 2015

      And you would like to see the children including their little minds go down the drain to Hell. You are not a good example for the youths especially those in Dominica who are young and still attending school. Your views are not worthy.
      So let the governments of those countries you mentioned go down the slippery slopes. They are already there. Their governments are too liberal. One day they will suffer for instituting immorality in their land.
      Dominica’s children are different. They must live but not with viewing pornographic literature at their young age. If you cannot see this and through it, I think you are a bad example to everyone.

    • lightbulb
      October 1, 2015

      Go back to school my boy.
      Amsterdam is not a country.

  30. Zuma
    September 30, 2015

    I believe education starts from the home.. We can’t leave teachers to educate fully our kid, my son is five he knows he has a penis and me a vagina. He sees when I take a sanitary napkin and he asks me what’s it for and I explain to him.. If we hide things from our kids they will find out sonner rather than later. Teach your kids ever day something new. Let them know that the Internet has a wealth of educative material but als a great danger to society when used in the wrong sense, educate educate your kids.teachers can only do so much when the kids are in the classroom… My five year old son uses my iPad. He knows the code to get in. Luckily for now he looks at games.. But sometimes the cartoons are very graphic… But I do monitor what he is doing and let’s him know that this is not what he promised to look at… We are no longer
    in those days where certain subjects were taboo.. We need to let our kids be aware of danger as well as safety and how to distinguish the two.

    • The Real Facts
      September 30, 2015

      There is nothing wrong in educating them. However, there is a time and place for everything and they do not have to be taught everything, all at once. Children should be children. They need time to be innocent and time to grow up At five years of age there are some things they should not see nor know about. They are too young for that.
      Some parents are too open with their type of education to their little children. I wonder what God would think and say about that?
      The best ;parents can do for their children is also to discipline them. Teach them love and respect in the home and for others. This moral discipline is sadly lacking among many children who, one day will grow up to adulthood. What type of adults, husbands and wives, etc., will they make? Whose fault is that? Parents of course who are the primary educators of their children.

  31. Muslim_Always
    September 30, 2015

    Ms Nicolas I understand your concern there are programs and means that block sites to prevent access to unwanted sites.

    I hope these tablets are durable and will last our students. If they are substandard then it makes no sense.

    These gadgets should be encouraged in the 21st century.

    Do you know how good it is when students have access to their homework or projects via emails or social media? If a student was sick they can easily get their work through their email, when I taught years ago I took down the email of all my students, those who had access to internet I would email their work.

    I welcome the initiative.

    • The Real Facts
      September 30, 2015

      These are children. Some of you missed the point of what she stated. She did not state that they should not have tablets. It is what they do with them, if they are allowed to take them home and viewing pornographic paraphernalia, even while in school. I will not enlighten you anymore.
      Re-read the article and hopefully all of you who disagree with her will comprehend what she tried to relay.
      If you are disciplinarians of your children you should comprehend and act accordingly. Do not give children what which may contaminate their minds and inhibit their learning process. There is a God watching and taking note. Some parents will have a dear price to pay for that and their liberal attitude.
      Some of the problems with children and some who turned adults and are lawless, it is because of lack of discipline/proper nurturing.
      When they fail to obey you and become truant to adulthood, blame no one else but yourself. I stated more than I planned to.

  32. what?
    September 30, 2015

    but what i’m hearing there nah?every little cat and dog has tablets,ipads etc at home the lady is talking like is first time those children going to see a tablet. hello it 2015 not 1915!!! “My fear is the liberty to allow the children to leave the school compound with it … this is my fear,” she said on state-owned DBS Radio’s Talking Point on Tuesday.lady puleeeeezzzze!!!!!!

  33. UserName
    September 30, 2015

    Honestly Mrs. Nicholas as a senior educator I thought that you would have echoed sentiments like the Blogger STEVE FORESTER had this to say: “Will the tablets replace textbooks? Are there useful scientific simulations that come installed on them? Can be used as clickers for classroom interactivity? Will they enable distance learning so that school can continue even if we face another major natural disaster?” You worried about students going home with a computer in 2015.. did the technology race pass by!!!!

  34. Big Bannan
    September 30, 2015

    What brand or make are those tablets? ?I if I were the educator I would be embarrassed to if I did not know how to teach them how to use the equipment. I if I were the educator I would be embarrassed to if I did not know how to teach them how to use the equipment

  35. MY 2cents
    September 30, 2015

    It’s really a disgrace in this day and age that someone at the head of the education system would talk like that. Dominican kids will never be prepared for the world if it’s up to her & just leave school with english, maths & some other basic subjects. While i understand the concern of kids using the tablets given or whatever other computers they would have access to for negative stuff that’s not the way to deal with it. We are in 2015, programs can be installed on any tablet, laptop or computer system to block off any of the negative stuff kids could try to access. No wonder when kids graduate from school most of them don’t know what they want to do from there on. The so call educators don’t seem to be preparing them for much. Gone are the day where to be considered successful & a big money maker you either had to be a lawyer or a doctor. Actually, engineers, computer science, bio chemistry and the list goes on and on Miss educator make more. Please don’t limit our children.

    • Titiwi
      October 1, 2015

      …2 cents doesn’t buy much these days, does it?

      • MY 2cents
        October 1, 2015

        Neither does an empty brain such as yours. Have you ever heard the saying if you don’t have something sensible to say it’s better you shut up. It’s obvious you are an illiterate fool else you would have something more to say on the topic than some petty, childish, school yard response. Enroll in some adult education and stop making a full of yourself.

      • Titiwi
        October 1, 2015

        Thanks for your advice 2 cents. In this context the word is actually spelled “fool” and not “full”. You got it right once but slipped up the second time. Wonder who needs the adult education?

      • MY 2cents
        October 2, 2015

        O you have never had a typo. Sorry mr perfect fool. Get a life so you wouldn’t have time to be so childish

  36. Regret
    September 30, 2015

    I share your concerns.

    I spent thousands of dollars on a laptop for a student, who requested a laptop as an aid for his school work. He has been using the laptop to listen to crap music, and surprise , surprise, he failed all his exams.

    What a waste of my hard earned cash!

    • The Real Facts
      September 30, 2015

      Technology can be good and it could be bad. You can vouch for that. These could be bad for them and if unsupervised.
      I think he tricked you in getting one for him. He spent too much time on it. Some children do not listen to parents.
      I hope it is not too late for him to turn around and be educated.
      These days it is difficult to discipline children because some of them do not listen. If only they would think of the future, they would be ever so eager to pay heed.

  37. pingo
    September 30, 2015

    So long tablet talk in teh air, now you coming and say that? Why didn’t you express those concerns earlier so the ministry culd be more proactive? Stupes

    • Please!
      September 30, 2015

      Pingo you have echoed my thoughts. While the concern is legitimate why now when this has been in the making for so long? These very children have access to the internet via their cell phones. Children need supervision and even when they are supervised they find time to engage in what they ought not to. Parents, guardians, friends, teachers etc.. need to come on board and help our students make wise use of the tablets. This kind of draconian style leadership has not made our children any better but more rebellious.

    • The Real Facts
      October 1, 2015

      Have you ever heard, “Experience is a good teacher?”
      It is not too late. Now that she has expressed her concern of what she observed, the higher ups, as the Ministry of Education could rectify it. I hope so.

  38. shaka zulu
    September 30, 2015

    There are hardly any internet and cyber laws in Dominica but students have access. Tablets are resourcfull however we like to put our shoes and then our socks. There is enough software that can be installed to block certain sites. MOE must have rules and regulations governing the use. I can see law suits coming if kids are exposed to bad things especially if MOE did not put safeguards in place.

    • lightbulb
      October 1, 2015

      Unless they are locked by the manufacturer, it will cost to many man hours to root, and lock down the tablets.

  39. Dominican
    September 30, 2015

    Track the uses

    • memoi
      September 30, 2015

      want it or not, everything done on these tablets will be tracked.

  40. September 30, 2015

    That was just a political promise, Skerrit could not run from, so, dont expect there to be plans :-D

    • True
      September 30, 2015

      He still giving it doh beh!!

  41. September 30, 2015

    This is 2015 get over it if it was given to them they should be allowed to take it home actually what about homework and projects are u serious .

    • mercy
      September 30, 2015

      Those statements are dumb and old fashion. Please come and remove the computers from their homes. Just now you will preach that people who give their children smart phones should be arrested. Ask the PM to bring back Encyclopedias like you used in the 30’s. Put your corrupt thoughts asside. Nonesense

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