KUALA LUMPUR – The delivery of the 150,000 laptops promised to underprivileged students last November is only expected to be completed by the end of September.
Yayasan Hasanah, the government-linked foundation handling the distribution called the Cerdik initiative, said it has set a target to hand out one-third of the total laptops, or 50,000 units, to students by the end of next month.
It added that this estimation is based on current supply chain capacity.
So far, 13,000 devices have been distributed by government-linked companies (GLCs) and government-linked investment companies (GLICs) to various state departments, Yayasan Hasanah said in a statement.
It said more than 1,000 students have already received their devices.
Cerdik added that funding for this pilot project was generated solely from GLC/GLICs and corporate donors, saying all the devices have been certified as up-to-date with the capacity for hardware and software upgrades to last students at least three years.
‘Great enabler of digital learning’
In the statement, Senior Minister (Education) Datuk Radzi Jidin said the pilot project is timely due to the rise of digitisation in all aspects of society.
“Digital transformation is now a prerequisite for the modern age. As we have seen in recent times, Covid-19 has made it clear that digitalisation is indispensable.
“Virtual learning, for example, was vital in limiting the disruption to school lessons and sustaining the delivery of education around the world.”
Radzi also reassured parents that all devices come with the necessary technical support and warranty to minimise interruptions to digital learning.
Finance Minister Datuk Seri Tengku Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz said Covid-19 has accelerated digital adoption en masse, with remote learning increasingly becoming the norm.
“Cerdik was conceptualised to bridge the socio-economic gap by facilitating digital learning for lower-income households.
“This pilot project is a great enabler of digital learning, which must be a core component of our children’s education if we are to take advantage of the economic benefits afforded by the Fourth Industrial Revolution.”
Roll-out delay overshoots new school term
During the Budget announcement last November, Tengku Zafrul announced that the distribution of the laptops would begin in February.
In late January, Tengku Zafrul reiterated that the distribution of laptops would take place in February to ensure eligible students, or schoolchildren in households with a monthly income of below RM4,850 each, would receive them.
Opposition leaders have lambasted the timing of the roll-out as well as the missed February deadline, as schools had already begun online classes, educational TV programmes and other teaching methods when the new term resumed on January 20.
Public schools have also resumed physical classes in stages starting mid-March. – The Vibes, April 25, 2021
