PUPILS with limited or no access to the internet and gadgets are finding it hard to cope with online learning and are at risk of falling behind, said educators.

Sabah Teachers’ Union Shahril Liwangsah said some pupils from low-income families don’t have access to the internet, be it Wi-Fi or cellular data.

“PdPR (learning and teaching at home) is working well in places with internet connectivity and among pupils whose parents can afford (financially) and are involved in their children’s education.

“However, pupils with limited access to the internet and gadgets, especially those belonging to the bottom 40 group are facing some challenges,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

Checks on e-commerce platforms showed that the cheapest devices cost more than RM100 and may require Wi-Fi connection, which is added cost. Devices with good specifications cost around RM500.

Shahril said some parents do not have gadgets that can be connected to the internet and, therefore, can’t be used for online learning.

Some pupils also have to wait for their parents to return home from work to follow their online lessons because there are no spare gadgets at home or for larger families, the children have to take turns using the gadgets, he said.

Teachers are also grappling with their own set of challenges as they have to spend more time with the pupils, especially those who are unable to complete their tasks on time because of these limitations.

This is also the reason lessons conducted through Google Meet are also not smooth sailing, he said.

Online learning at home is conducted by teachers through various channels, such as Google Meet, Google Classroom and Zoom.

Education TV also allow pupils to follow their lessons.

Teachers will have to prepare extra worksheets to ensure the pupils have better comprehension of the module.

It is easier to teach those with a poorer grasp of a subject in a physical classroom setting, said Shahril.

Secretary-general of the National Union of Teaching Professionals, Harry Tan, said pupils with limited access to online learning may face problems when physical classes resume.

There is a possibility that these pupils may have to rely on their peers for the lessons given out during the PdPR as teachers may not repeat the past lessons.

As such, Tan said such they are at risk of falling behind unless the teacher arranges for the modules to be taught offline as well.

However, he said the problem of grasping the lessons is not confined to those without access to the internet or gadgets.

Pupils with access to online learning are also at risk of lagging behind if their parents are unable to teach them at home.

“There are many parents who are working and not stay-at-home parents,” he said.

“Based on feedback from parents, teachers are playing the role of facilitators. Teachers would give some explanation on the content and would later assign homework that has to be completed by the pupils.”

The time taken to complete the homework is part of the evaluation.

Malacca Action Group for Parents in Education chairman Mak Chee Kin said the limited access is a pressing issue that has to be addressed as children’s learning and future are at stake.

“Because of the constraints and limitations, I heard some pupils have lost their interest while some have given up totally,” he said.

Some solutions

Shahril said there has to be 100% commitment from all parties, including the Education Ministry, parents and teachers to solve the problem.

The ministry has to increase awareness of Education TV.

The digital divide between the developed and less-developed areas in the country must also be addressed to bridge the gap of inequality, he said.

Modules can be disbursed to parents and pupils offline.

“The rationale of having a module for parents is to help them guide their children during the process of home-schooling,” he said.

The PdPR should also only focus on core subjects, he said to reduce the pressure on teachers, pupils and parents.

Mak raises the concerns that if the demand for devices outstrips supply, then prices will increase.

The devices will be of no use to the pupils if there is no internet connectivity.

“Have the Education Ministry and MCMC (Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission) sat together with telcos to immediately solve the issue?

“How long does it take for those rural areas without connectivity to get one?”

Pupils will continue to be affected unless there is proper access to gadgets and the internet and if teachers are trained to conduct online lessons.

He suggests that the state education department offer counselling to affected pupils, especially those who show signs of dropping out.

The Education Ministry acknowledged last year that its research found that only 6% of schoolchildren have their own computer.

In addition, 5.67% had tablet devices, laptops (95) and smartphones (46%).

A total of 36.9% pupils did not to have any device and can’t follow online lessons at home.

The study was conducted between March and April last year involving 670,000 parents and 900,000 pupils. – February 18, 2021.