DIGITAL access is the biggest challenge for children who are missing out on schooling because of Covid-19, said a Khazanah Research Institute senior adviser.

There must be proper planning because online learning in Malaysia, especially access to technology and the internet, is not equal, said Jomo Kwame Sundaram.

“This is presenting real problems, as parents, teachers and pupils log in to virtual classrooms under the new norm.

“Only 6% of schoolchildren have access to laptops and many more have access to online learning on a phone.

“But if you have more than one child that needs to use the device at one time, all of it would be affected,” said Jomo during a forum titled Analysing Malaysia Budget 2021. 

Education Minister Mohd Radzi Md Jidin told Dewan Rakyat that the 2021 school year will begin on January 20.

The delay in reopening schools is to make up for the days lost due to the shorter year-end holidays and also because of the postponement of year-end exams and SPM.

The SPM and STPM exams for Form 5 and 6 have been pushed to the first quarter of next year.

Jomo said one alternative for those without digital access is broadcasting. 

“For instance, there is broadcasting, whereby 90% of the people have access to television and almost 95% have access to radio.

“Learning could be done through these platforms instead of just through a laptop and smartphone, which many do not have access to,” he said. 

Jomo was referring to 18-year-old Universiti Malaysia Sabah student, Veveonah Mosibin, who posted a video on YouTube showing her climbing a tree to get an internet connection to take an exam.

When the post went viral, Deputy Communications and Multimedia Minister Zahidi Zainul Abidin said in the Dewan Negara that Veveonah was trying to get attention.

He later apologised but blamed Deputy Finance Minister I Abdul Rahim Bakri, who provided the information.

Rahim said in a Facebook post he had inspected Veveonah’s claims of poor internet connectivity by speaking to a village chief and an unnamed faculty member of UMS, who said there was no such exam in June when Veveonah made and posted the video. He later deleted his post.

After the incident, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin tweeted that the cabinet agreed the real issue is difficulty obtaining internet connectivity and other basic infrastructure in the interior.

Zahidi said the government will continue its efforts to improve connectivity.

Jomo also touched on children’s dependence on free school meals during the webinar hosted by Gabungan Bertindak Malaysia.

“With online learning taking place up to next year, how are the schoolchildren coping when what they depend on are meals provided in school.”

He suggested meal delivery to the homes of the needy. – November 14, 2020.