KUALA LUMPUR: The Education Ministry has equipped 10,190 schools in the country with internet access, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik said of these, 9,786 or 96 per cent of the schools comprising 6,684 in the rural areas and 3,102 in urban areas have been provided with services in the 1BestariNet Programme .
“Meanwhile, 404 schools (four per cent) comprising 375 in rural areas and 29 in urban areas, were equipped with internet access by providers like TM and Maxis,” he said during the Ministers’ Question Time today.
Maszlee was replying to a question from Datuk Seri Hasan Arifin (BN-Rompin) on complaints that there were schools, especially in the rural areas, which still did not get full internet access under the 1BestariNet programme.
He said, in most cases, the rural schools which had low internet access under the 1BestariNet Progamme were located outside the backhaul fiber coverage areas.
Maszlee said the speed of internet access in a school was dependent on several factors, including student enrolment, size of the school, number of computer laboratories, geographical factors as well as the government’s financial situation.
“The government is aware that there are 1,578 schools which experience low internet access, especially schools in the rural and interior areas as they still depend on ‘Very Small Aperture Terminal’ (VSAT) technology.
“However, the ministry is reviewing the 1BestariNet Programme in a review conducted by the Centre for Technology and Communications Research and Development Centre (MIMOS), and by a third-party committee comprising experts from various tertiary institutions.
“The purpose of the review is to look at the effectiveness of the 1BestariNet Progamme which includes the broadband needs in the future,” he said.
Maszlee added that the final report on the review will be tabled to the interested parties and used to develop a more innovative plan which integrates appropriate technology to increase the effectiveness of teaching and learning in schools. — Bernama
