TV Learning Channel Launched For Students Who Can’t Access Internet During MCO
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Following the Movement Control Order (MCO) entering its second phase, the Education Ministry is going down the route of learning through television (TV).
Bernama reports that a new TV channel, called TV Okey, by Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) will be launched on 6th April 2020.
Education Minister, Dr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin, said the educational TV channel would offer a series of practice sessions for students taking public examinations this year.
(Credit: Ham Abu Bakar/Malay Mail)
The concept of an educational TV is not a new thing, though. TV Pendidikan channel began airing on RTM in 1972 and ran for a strong 27 years before it was stopped in 1999. The channel then migrated to Astro from 2000 to 2006 and finally TV9 from 2007 to 2008.
Broadcast of the channel stopped on 31st December 2008 and it was moved online as a webTV called EduwebTV. Astro also still has education channels available to its subscribers.
However, the MCO has presented new challenges for teaching and education as the ministry realised that not every student has the luxury of internet access.
This approach has been taken to provide students with no internet access, but have access to TV. We are aware that not all students have internet access.
Dr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin,Education Minister via Bernama.
Appearing as a guest on RTM’s “Bicara Naratif” programme, he explained that the rationale behind the launch of this new TV channel is to provide as much space and opportunity as possible for students, teachers and parents to access education throughout the MCO period.
The ministry conducted a survey from 28th March on the gadgets available at home for school students, where some 500,000 parents of 700,000 students responded.
(Credit: KE Ooi/Malay Mail)
The results indicated that almost 80% of secondary school students and 36% of primary school students have smartphones. However, only between 5 to 14% of the students had other devices such as tablets, computers and laptops.
It is true that there is access to the internet but mostly only through smartphones. This is a hindrance especially when subject is so complicated that it can be difficult to complete assignments.
Dr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin,Education Minister via Bernama.
As a start, TV Okey will be aired for 2 hours daily from 9.00am – 10.00 am and 1.00 pm – 2.00pm.
The learning programmes will also be available on MyFreeview TV (Channel 110) and Channel 146 on Astro and Astro NJOI.
So with this solution in place, hopefully it makes education and learning easier for students who are missing out as schools remain closed during the MCO.
The programme schedules are available on the Education Ministry’s official website and social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.
On a related note, there is a Learn From Home initiative launched by Teach for Malaysia with YTL Foundation and FrogAsia that provides free SIM cards with data and revision papers. You can find out more HERE.
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