3000 tablets for Offenbach schools are delivered

Around 3,000 tablets for digitally supported teaching are currently being delivered to schools in Offenbach. As many year groups are likely to take part in "alternating lessons" after the Christmas vacations, i.e. learning partly in presence and partly from home at a distance, the mobile devices are intended for pupils who do not have the right equipment to participate in distance learning. A further 800 devices will arrive at the beginning of the year.

Due to the high global demand and the associated long delivery times, the city had to wait around four months for the 3,000 devices and then fitted them with robust protective covers and, in most cases, armored film itself. "Although this was very time-consuming, it is particularly important for the everyday use of children and young people. It was only possible to master this challenge thanks to the extraordinary efforts of the office, the help of the vocational-technical schools and an IT service provider," says Head of Schools Paul-Gerhard Weiß, who thanks the R198b class of the GTS, the service partner and the staff of the city education authority."

Around 2 million euros will flow to the city for the procurement of mobile devices from the "Immediate Equipment Program", a supplement to the Digital Pact. This was the federal and state governments' response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Offenbach had successfully lobbied for the funds to be distributed to the cities and districts based on social criteria rather than simply on pupil numbers. "This has doubled the amount and therefore the number of devices for Offenbach," says Weiß.

The distribution of the equipment to the individual schools in Offenbach is also based on the Ministry of Education's social index for teacher allocation. Paul-Gerhard Weiß notes that this is in line with the intention of the supplementary program and is pleased that this distribution key was considered sensible and fair by the schools because it takes into account the challenges posed by the heterogeneous student body. The schools themselves carry out the internal distribution. A sample loan agreement simplifies the process for them.

According to Weiß, end devices are not a mandatory requirement for alternating lessons. This applies in particular to daily changes. However, they are a good support and supplement to modern teaching. This teaching model can be supported particularly well with digital media and the use of the school portal. They will also play an increasingly important role in regular face-to-face lessons.

Overall, the DigitalPakt is making good progress in Offenbach. The city is one of very few school authorities in Hesse to have already connected all schools to a fiber optic network and thus equipped them with fast Internet. W-LAN is currently being installed at the schools. At the Leibniz School, 40 kilometers of cables are currently being laid, over 60 distributors are being installed and 140 access points will then be available for use. Work will continue at the Albert-Schweitzer-Schule, Rudolf-Koch-Schule and Gewerblich-technische Schulen at the beginning of January, followed by Eichendorffschule, Erich-Kästner-Schule, Goetheschule and Schillerschule. All schools that are not currently being renovated should be equipped by the end of 2021. For schools undergoing renovation and conversion, this will depend on the progress of construction.