Those Notebooks/Laptops

Fri, Sept 16. 2011

Editor: While we may agree that the move by the Government to give every school child a notebook/laptop is a good one, it has its negative side.{{more}}

There are far too many children who are using the notebook/laptop for a different purpose than what it was given for. There are some children, who during the vacation period and even now, are using it to play music and view porn. Many of these children seldom use it for school work.

Looking at this situation, it is twofold, in that the parents must take responsibility for ensuring that his/her children don’t abuse the notebook/laptop and that it is used for the purpose for which it was intended. Far too many parents do not supervise their child or children. I am also aware that there are parents who know what their children are doing with the laptops yet have not done anything.

I do also recommend that government be given the right to take back the laptop if they find a child abusing it and not using it for the purpose for which it was intended. Having said that, it will be difficult for the government to supervise the use of the laptop. Therefore, head teachers and teachers should be given the authority to report to the relevant ministry the abuse of the laptop, and then to interact with the parents, and if necessary take it and return it to the relevant authorities. I further recommend that every school should have a trusted body of persons forming a committee to supervise these notebooks/laptops.

If a check has to be made, we will discover that many have been abused to the point that some have been damaged. After all, these notebooks/laptops cost money and should be cared and used wisely. Let’s hope that they will be used wisely. Thank you.

Kennard King