KUALA TERENGGANU: The Terengganu state government has allocated RM50,000 to Institut Kajian Darul Iman (Idaman) of Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin to conduct a study on the effectiveness of e-Book usage since last September.
State Education, Science and Technology and Special Functions Committee chairman, Ghazali Taib said the decision on whether to continue with the usage of e-Book will be finalised in January next year after the four-month study has been completed.
“The study conducted by a group of researchers headed by Profesor Dr Ibrahim Mamat covers all aspects including its effects on students, teachers and academic achievement since it was introduced six years ago.
“On the average, the state government spends between RM18 million to RM20 million each year to distribute e-Books to Year Four pupils throughout the state,” he said when replying to a question by Bazlan Abdul Rahman (BN-Batu Rakit) at the Terengganu State Legislative Assembly sitting yesterday.
According to him, e-Book is a mini laptop which has the softcopy syllabus for lessons according to Education Ministry completed with 30 juzuk of al-Quran.
Replying to a supplementary question by Mohd Mahdi Musa (BN-Kota Putera) on the fate of 566 Information Technology Officers (EIO) and Computer Technicians (TSO) who might be terminated if e-Book usage is discontinued, Ghazali said the state government assured they would be given other suitable employment based on their skills in information technology. Currently, all EIO and TSO are placed in each school to resolve technical problems on e-Book. — Bernama