AS more schools get closed due to COVID-19 infections, former Education Minister Maszlee Malik appealed to the Education Ministry (MOE) to get creative in order not to disrupt children’s teaching and learning process.
“Students from the B40 group are the most affected as they lack Internet facility, hampering the home-based teaching and learning (PDPR) method.
“This is also true for those who live in areas where Internet accessibility is a luxury. With no choice, teachers have to fork out their own money to help their students to gain connection.
“Plus, they also have to use their own funds to get students and their own kids learning materials so the latter won’t get left behind,” he said, in a statement.
In the last one month, several schools were forced to close after students and teachers were tested positive for the novel coronavirus, leaving many parents livid and fearful of their children’s safety.
Last week, five schools in Sabah were closed down after several COVID-19 cases were detected. The schools are SJKC Shan Tao, SMK Shan Tao, SJKC Chung Hwa, SJKC Chung Hwa Likas and SJKC Lok Yu.
On that note, Maszlee urged the Government to embark on several measures to mitigate the problem, such as by speeding up the delivery of 150,000 laptops to B40 children and teachers’ own kids, where the locality is under movement control order (MCO) like Kelantan.
The Simpang Renggam MP added that the Government should also provide special incentives to teachers who purchase data and learning materials for their students to ease the PDPR process.
“The Communications and Multimedia Ministry (MCMC) should also work with the Rural and Regional Development Ministry to ensure places with weak Internet access to get better accessibility to help both teachers and students for PDPR.
“Such proactive measures will ensure students from the underserved community continue receiving education without any hassle,” Maszlee stated. – April 25, 2021.
