Maszlee wants student laptop deliveries expedited, Cerdik says 13k distributed

 

Former education minister Maszlee Malik has called on the government to expedite the delivery of 150,000 laptops to students as promised under Budget 2021.

He said this is because as schools in some districts were placed under the enhanced movement control order (MCO), students from the B4 group and rural areas once again have to deal with issues concerning the Teaching and Learning at Home (PDPR).

The Simpang Renggam lawmaker stressed that PDPR is meaningless if the students don't have gadgets to study and if the area has a weak internet connection.

Maszlee (above) noted that the burden is also shared by the teachers who have to fork out extra money to buy gadgets for their children as well as subscribing to extra Internet data.

"In certain places with no internet connection, the teachers have to distribute notes to students using their own pocket money," he said in a statement.

Hence, he urged the government to do three things:

1. Expedite the distribution of 150,000 laptops to B40 families and children of teachers under the (enhanced) MCO areas nationwide, especially Kelantan.
2. A special incentive to teachers to purchase data and equipment to help them with PDPR.
3. Communications and Multimedia Ministry must work with the Rural Development Ministry to expedite the installation of internet infrastructure in certain areas.

"An immediate proactive action must be taken to prevent students from poor families from being left out in education," Maszlee said.

Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz

Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz, when tabling Budget 2021 in November 2020, had said that GLCs and GLICs would contribute RM150 million into Cerdik fund to provide 150,000 laptops to students in 500 schools in a pilot project overseen by Yayasan Hasanah.

The project was criticised as its website stated that the students would be given the laptop on a loan basis. 

Muar MP Syed Saddiq was among politicians who were vocal on the issue.

"If (the laptops) are broken, do students from poor families have to replace them? If that is the case, this system is problematic.

"The laptops would be used for a long period, unlike textbooks where students only use it according to their level," he said.

50,000 laptops by end-May

Meanwhile, the Cerdik programme, in a statement, said some 13,000 devices have already been distributed to state education departments.

"Based on current supply chain capacity, Cerdik is targeting for at least 50,000 students to receive their devices by end-May," it said.

It added that the remaining 100,000 is expected to be distributed by the end of September.

"All devices have been certified as up-to-date with adequate capacity for software upgrades to serve a student for at least three years of his/her academic journey through school, with the appropriate quality, functionality and safety checks to prevent or minimise mishaps and learning disruptions," it said.

The statement also carried comments by Education Minister Radzi Jidin, who said the devices would come with the necessary technical support and warranty to minimise learning disruption.

Among the agencies which have contributed to the Cerdik fund include Khazanah Nasional Berhad, Yayasan Petronas, Permodalan Nasional Berhad, Employees Provident Fund and Lembaga Tabung Haji. - Mkini