With Covid-19, ‘disconnected’ Sabah students risk being left further behind

SANDAKAN – Poor internet connectivity is not a new problem in Sabah, especially in its rural areas.

The issues stemming from this resurfaced following the order for schools to close due to the Covid-19 threat, leaving teachers and students with no choice but to undertake lessons online.

Universiti Malaysia Sabah student Veveonah Mosibin, from Kg Sepatalang in Pitas, made the headlines after a video of her in a tree, which she climbed to get better internet connection to sit an examination, went viral in June.

SK Pekan Telupid teacher Mary Ann Marcus said Veveonah’s case is not unique, with internet issues also plaguing Telupid.

“Even the teachers do not have internet connection at their houses. I live 13km from the school, and there’s no internet coverage at home.

“Sometimes, I have to stay at the school until 4am or 5am to finish work.

“As for my pupils, not only were they unable to sit their exams online, but they also couldn’t attend virtual classes or submit their homework online since the MCO (movement control order) was first imposed in March.”

She said some pupils’ families cannot afford internet data plans.

“Some families also can’t afford to buy smartphones for their children, so these pupils have to wait until their parents return home from work to use their phones for online classes.

“There are also families that do not have a smartphone at all. The parents either do not have a phone, or do not have a smartphone that can support apps used to submit homework, like WhatsApp.”

She said only 40% of her pupils are able to go online, adding that she hopes the state government will address the district’s internet woes.

Starting this month, the Sabah Education Department is requiring all secondary schools in the state to conduct the year-end evaluation, as well as the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) trials.

In Sandakan and Beluran, schools have taken the initiative to send physical copies of learning modules and exam papers to students unable to go online.

Wendy Aaliyah Chong, a science teacher at SMK St Mary here, said almost half of her students do not have the means to access the internet.

The main issue is poverty, she said, adding that 10 of the 34 students in her class do not own a smartphone.

“I have students living on Pulau Berhala whose families do not have a smartphone. Some have to borrow from their neighbours, who live a few kilometres away, just to attend online classes.

“Some students take turns with their siblings to use their parents’ smartphone. So, it is impossible to have all the students sit exams online at the same time.”

In Sandakan, only 53% of students participated in long-distance teaching and learning sessions from March to July, said district education officer Dalmansa Tahil.

He said the key performance indicator set by the Education Department for the sessions was just 30%.

This was because of many students’ lack of access to the internet, with 21 schools, including 16 on islands, also without such access.

In Beluran, SMK Tongod science and chemistry teacher Mohd Sobrie Lamudin said he has students who have to climb up a hill 3km from their homes just to get internet.

“They would get internet connection if they’re lucky. There would be days when they climb the hill and there’s not even a phone connection, let alone internet connection.

“Some of my students are stressed, and some almost gave up on their studies, especially the Form Five students who will sit the SPM exams early next year. Only 60% of my students (Forms Three to Five) are able to submit their homework online.

“The response from students who have internet access is positive. They never fail to submit their assignments.

“However, how about those who can’t be contacted at all? They are totally disconnected from the outside world.”

To help these students, he said, teachers and parents are working together to provide them with physical copies of learning modules and exam papers.

SMK Tongod is located 52km from Telupid town, and has 113 SPM candidates.

Sobrie, who has been teaching in Tongod for 11 years, said phone connection has improved slightly, but the area still lags behind in information and communications technology.

There was a time when residents had no phone connection for five straight days, he said.

He said he has called on his peers to submit requests for the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to provide better internet in Tongod.

On Monday, eight students in Kg Gusi, Ranau, were injured after they fell 15m from a suspension bridge – the only place they could get internet access – when the crossing snapped. – The Vibes, November 28, 2020