Opinions and Responses

Regarding the Lending of Tablets to Students

Regarding the lending of tablets to children, we would like you to place storage lockers in each classroom, as other municipalities (such as Kokubunji and Tachikawa) do, where charging can also be done, and prohibit taking tablets home.
This is because, as the grade level increases, children do not keep their promises, record music, change the screen or password to arbitrary ones, do not adhere to usage times, and parents cannot manage this at all. We are concerned that this will lead to dependence on ICT devices. We truly hope they do not take them home.
As a parent, I intend to manage strictly, but due to work and other commitments, I cannot watch over them constantly. Also, as children grow older, they reach a developmental stage where they dislike being watched by their parents, and they resist excessive parental interference. When told they must do their homework, I cannot simply stop them from doing it. While younger children who keep promises when told are one thing, with older children there are situations where parents cannot control them, which is troubling.
Like other municipalities, by imposing restrictions on taking tablets home, we believe it is important to create time physically away from ICT devices, so that students do not just quickly finish tasks on the tablet but instead do their homework using tools like dictionaries with their own hands and eyes, and secure time to interact with those around them. We are only worried about the current situation where, because of school communications, children find themselves looking at the tablet without realizing it.
We do not mind if the costs related to management and electricity charges become a burden for Parents or Guardians. We would like the lending tablets to be arranged so that they are not taken home.

Response

In our city, regarding the tablets lent to students, we have established an environment that utilizes LTE connections, enabling learning activities not only within schools but also at home and elsewhere. Additionally, during class closures or temporary school closures due to infectious diseases, we use them to secure learning opportunities by conducting online classes and homerooms.
For these reasons, the tablets are not kept at school at all times, but are taken home and used for learning.
Regarding the concerns raised about the use of tablet devices, we confirmed with the Board of Education that daily guidance is provided to ensure that the devices are not used for purposes unrelated to learning or communication, such as watching unrelated videos or playing games. Additionally, filtering has been strengthened to prevent access to sites with videos or games unrelated to learning.
We have instructed the Board of Education to continue thoroughly guiding each class on the proper use of tablet devices by students and to take necessary measures in cooperation with schools.
Additionally, schools will provide guidance in collaboration with families, so if your concerns persist, please feel free to consult the school directly.

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