KUALA LUMPUR: The Education Ministry is expanding its computer laboratory device rental services to 1,801 schools that lack such facilities to ensure comprehensive access to digital learning resources.
The ministry said the expansion began in the third quarter of this year as a key approach to strengthening digital facilities in schools, alongside the targeted distribution of devices to students from the low-income (B40) group.
It said the supply of computer laboratory devices was implemented in three phases from 2021 to 2023, involving the distribution of 244,158 devices to schools nationwide, regardless of location or parliamentary constituency.
To support B40 and rural students, the ministry, through Yayasan Didik Negara, also distributed 16,230 free digital education devices—comprising laptops, Chromebooks and tablets—to 257 schools nationwide between 2022 and 2026.
“This free device distribution is carried out in a targeted and transparent manner, based on needs-based criteria verified by the State Education Departments (JPN) and District Education Offices (PPD),” it said in a written reply published on the Parliament website.
The ministry was replying to a question from Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein (BN-Sembrong) on the status of free digital device distribution to B40 students in rural areas and plans for high-performance internet coverage in remote school laboratories.
To improve internet access in schools, including in remote areas, the ministry provides fibre-optic facilities with speeds ranging from 300 Mbps to 800 Mbps and broadband services at 30 Mbps. Schools facing limitations in accessing terrestrial networks are provided with high-performance satellite internet services offering speeds of up to 100 Mbps.
As of October this year, 8,955 schools (87.28 per cent) out of 10,259 MOE educational institutions nationwide had internet access through fibre-optic technology, the ministry said.
The remaining institutions, which still rely on wireless broadband and satellite technology, are being upgraded in phases based on technical feasibility at their respective locations.