BATU KAWAN: Students in rural areas such as Kampung Pulau Aman (pix), near here have voiced their concerns over the limited internet access issues they face which can disrupt their learning process.
Hanis Syuhada Razali, 16, said home-based teaching and learning (PdPR) has become quite a challenge for students with limited internet access.
“The internet connection at my house which is located about 200 metres from the Pulau Aman jetty is very limited and unstable...sometimes I have to walk out of my house just to get a better internet connection.
“I also find it a bit difficult to concentrate compared to face-to-face learning. I hope that I will be able to stay focused and will not fall behind in my studies,” the Form Four student of Sekolah Menengah Sains Tun Syed Sheh Shahabuddin near Bukit Mertajam, Seberang Perai Tengah told reporters when met at her house, here, today.
The daughter of a school gardener also worried that online classes would affect her preparation for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination next year.
Nur Alea Soffiyyah Ahmad Hanif, 16, who does not have internet connection at her home said she had to borrow her father’s mobile phone to be used as a WiFi hotspot device.
“However, with the intermittent internet connection, it can take up to two hours just to download a video sent by my teachers.
“There were several times when I was on Google Meet, my internet suddenly got disconnected and I even had to go out to the main road to get better access,” said the daughter of a lorry driver, who is also a Form Four student at Sekolah Menengah Sains Tun Syed Sheh Shahabuddin.
Meanwhile, Kampung Pulau Aman Village Community Management Council (MPKK) chairman Saidi Abd Majid said about 250 residents in the village have been experiencing poor internet coverage for a long time
“What worries us the most is the students have to walk out of their house, just to get a better Internet connection, even at night and this may pose a safety risk to them.
“In order to solve this issue, we want telecommunication operators to upgrade the existing network here,” he said. -Bernama
