E-TEXTBOOKS will be used in secondary schools next year, reported The Star.

The digital textbooks will be available for download in PDF, said Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching, who made the surprise announcement.

Educationist N. Siva Subramaniam was quoted as saying the move is timely and set to boost the education system.

“It’s undeniable that private schools are more advanced, but we have to start somewhere, and digital textbooks are the way to go.”

He said the ministry can work with parent-teacher associations and private companies to equip schools with computers.

“Rome wasn’t built in a day. Parents and society must invest in the nation’s education system if we want our children to do well.

“We cannot rely on the government to provide everything.”

National Union of the Teaching Profession secretary-general Harry Tan lauded the move, but said the ministry must ensure every student has access to the e-textbooks.

“Perhaps, the ministry can work with the private sector to provide all students with laptops and computers.”

He said the e-textbooks should not be downloadable for mobile devices, as allowing smartphones and tablets in schools could lead to students playing games or accessing inappropriate content instead of studying.

“Also, allowing such gadgets (in schools) could lead to students becoming competitive as to who has the latest or best device.

“Teachers, too, will be burdened. And can you imagine if these devices get stolen?”

Malacca Action Group for Parents in Education chairman Mak Chee Kin questioned whether the move could be properly implemented at such short notice.

“Do all schools have computers and internet connection?

“It’s only two months to the new year. Will all schools have the facilities to download these e-textbooks in time?

“Why the rush, especially since new textbooks have already been distributed to some schools?”

Teo, who made the announcement yesterday, said the details are being ironed out.

E-textbooks, she said, mean lighter school bags for students.

She said the ministry is discussing whether to let students download the e-textbooks on their personal devices, or restrict them to school computers.

“For now, it’s only in PDF, but we will make it more interactive down the road.”

Teo added that students still have the option of using regular textbooks.

“Once the e-textbooks are introduced, we will look at the response.”

The ministry’s plan does not include primary schools as the use of electronic devices at such an early age has to be studied first, she said.

In 2014, StarEducate reported that the ministry would digitalise textbooks to enable teaching and learning on a virtual platform.

Then education minister Muhyiddin Yassin had said e-textbooks would lighten both students’ schoolbags and parents’ burden.

He was reported as saying the facilities required for the move, such as Google Chromebooks and high-speed internet, would be provided to schools.

He had said the digital textbooks would be released in two phases.

In the first phase, 313 titles would be made accessible to students, parents and teachers through the 1BestariNet website, and in the second, e-textbooks would be made interactive. – October 27, 2018.