KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 16,230 free digital learning devices, comprising laptops and tablets, have been distributed to 257 schools nationwide through 133 district education offices from 2022 until last month.
Education Minister Datuk Seri Fadhlina Sidek said the devices were donated through Yayasan Didik Negara (YDN) to help pupils from B40 families and rural areas with their learning.
The Education Ministry had equipped schools nationwide with computer laboratory facilities, including laptops, multifunction printers, projectors and charging trolleys for electronic devices.
They were distributed to schools in different parliamentary constituencies in three phases from 2021 to 2023, involving a total of 244,158 devices.
“The ministry is expanding its computer laboratory device rental service to the remaining 1,801 schools nationwide, with implementation scheduled to begin in the third quarter of this year.
“This is to ensure comprehensive access to devices in schools and that none are left out of the benefits of modern digital laboratory facilities,” she said in a written reply published on the Parliament website.
Fadhlina said the free devices were distributed through a targeted and transparent approach based on needs-based criteria endorsed by the state education departments and district education offices.
“Priority is given to B40 pupils and rural schools across various types of institutions, including national schools, national secondary schools, special education schools, as well as Comprehensive Special Model Schools K9 and K11.
“As of last month, of the 10,259 Education Ministry institutions nationwide, 8,955 schools, or 87.28 per cent, had internet access through fibre-optic technology, with speeds ranging from 300Mbps to 800Mbps,” she said.
Fadhlina said the ministry would provide internet access to remote schools using technology suited to each school’s location.
“The ministry equips schools with high-speed fibre-optic technology offering speeds of between 300Mbps and 800Mbps, as well as broadband connections with speeds of 30Mbps.
“Meanwhile, schools in remote areas facing connectivity constraints are provided with high-performance satellite internet services offering speeds of up to 100Mbps,” she said.