Ahmad malie
KUCHING: The intensive pilot project for ‘Virtual Learning’ (VL) should be tried out in a few selected schools before it is implemented nationwide to avoid it becoming a ‘white elephant’.
Sarawak Bumiputera Teachers’ Union (KGBS) president Ahmad Malie who welcomed the project by the Ministry of Education said it must go through a trial period before the government introduce the concept in school in two years’ time.
“VL concept will bring benefits to two parties – teachers and parents – as they have an easy media prepared for them to interact and also to discuss the progress made by their children in schools,” he told The Borneo Post yesterday
“With the concept, KGBS sees that it will be easy for parents, especially those very busy, to monitor their children’s activities in school,” he added.
Ahmad explained that the system would encourage parents to interact with teachers and receive accurate information on their children’s performance and behaviour.
He said KGBS also hoped that the Ministry of Education would draw up a proper schedule for the two-way communication so as not to interfere with the teachers’ and parents’ busy schedule especially at night or weekends.
To avoid complications, Ahmad suggested it be done during office hours.
“It is also our hope that VL concept can bring harmony and foster good relations among the school community, parents and the public at large,” he said further.
The Borneo Post carried a Bernama report on Saturday that Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had announced that Malaysian schools could emulate the VL concept used in countries like South Korea which allowed parents to interact with school authorities via video conferencing.
Muhyiddin, who visited South Korea in 2010, had checked the effectiveness of the system using information communication technology and National Education Information System (NEIS), a computer network connecting all schools.
With NEIS, parents can gather more information on their children’s educational performance by communicating directly with teachers online.