1/3 Students Could Not Participate In Online Classes During MCO
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A survey of 670,118 parents of 893,331 students conducted during the months of MCO showed that more than a third of students did not have any proper access to the internet for online learning.
What you need to know: The Movement Control Order (MCO) closed schools, meaning that students and teachers had to teach and learn through online lessons very quickly. During this time, a little under half (46.5%) of students had to rely on smartphones to join their lessons, 15% had access to personal computers, and 5.8% had access to a tablet. A whopping 36.9% of students did not have access to any device at all.
Why it matters: If these students have no access to a working device or reliable internet, they could not participate in their education for over three months. This lack of devices is a significant obstacle to learning.
Who said what: Senior Minister Mohd Radzi Md Jidin (Education) noted that in addition to the lack of devices, there were also restrictions from limited internet access. If online learning were to be adopted in the long-term, matters must be addressed such as the diversity of students in terms of demographics and socio-economic standing. However, he assured that his ministry would continue efforts to enhance online learning and teaching.
What you can do: If you have an old PC or laptop lying around and want to donate it to the children, local NGO Medical Awareness Camp Outreach (MACO) is running a Computer Empowerment Programme in addition to their free medical services and daily meals provided to the poor. They will accept your donations of old technology, refurbish the gadgets, and donate them to the children in need.
Read more:
Education Ministry: Over one in three students couldn’t access online learning during MCO [Malay Mail]
To Get Good Internet For Online Exams, This Sabah Student Spent 24 Hours In A Tree [TRP]
Veveonah’s 24 Hours In A Tree Inspires TM To Upgrade Her Village To 300Mbps Internet [TRP]
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