Without devices, 300 Gua Musang pupils yet to start online lessons

GUA MUSANG – More than 300 pupils of SK Pos Brooke here have yet to participate in online home-based teaching and learning (PdPR) sessions that started last week following the implementation of the movement control order (MCO).

This is because most of their parents cannot afford to buy the necessary devices or smartphones, besides facing broadband issues.

A father, Rashid Akoh, 54, said many of parents here only work as labourers, and some even depend on forest produce to survive.

“For the time being, there is no use for us to buy smartphones for the (PdPR) because we are also facing unstable internet connection,” he said at Pos Brooke here today.

He expressed hope that the Education Ministry will donate or provide smartphones to the pupils.

Another parent, Isa Alang, 43, said to address this issue, SK Pos Brooke teachers have no choice but to use offline methods, such as providing exercise sheets for pupils to do at home.

“When completed, the pupils will return the papers to their teachers for assessments,” he said, adding online PdPR sessions are not the best method of learning for those living in the interior. – Bernama, January 27, 2021