Mumbai based Podar International School asks 840 students to buy iPads

Podar International School, Santa Cruz, has instructed all its students to buy iPads to impart education.
Vandana Lulla, school director-principal, issued a circular last week that claims the management’s decision to use the Apple iPad 2 in the classroom has been welcomed by parents. Some parents, however, feel the move is impractical, distractive and may hamper the growth of students.

The circular states, “Parents now have the choice of either purchasing the iPad 2 from the school on an outright basis or avail of a financial scheme on offer. You also need to indicate if it will be purchased by you on your own.” The school has told the parents to indicate their choice to help them negotiate bulk orders.
The parent of a class II student said, “There has been no consensus on the issue among parents. I am opposed to the move as it will hamper, rather than aid a kid’s education. I would prefer my kid to learn and write using traditional methods, instead of exposing him to advanced gadgets at a tender age. In fact, the school has a good information & technology infrastructure that is sufficient to upgrade a student’s skills.”
Another parent said, “I will shift my student to another school as it is purely a moneymaking racket. It is an irrational decision as examinations will be conducted using the conventional format.”