KOTA KINABALU: Many schools and parents in Sabah have not received the laptops announced by the federal government during the presentation of Budget 2021 for 150,000 students in 500 schools nationwide to facilitate online learning.
Education Minister Datuk Radzi Jidin announced that a total of 12,887 computers have been distributed to students nationwide and 40,290 more will be distributed by June 12. The remaining 96,823 computers will be distributed in September 2021.
“Did Sabah receive any of these computers? If not, why is Sabah being left out again?” asked Kapayan assemblywoman Jannie Lasimbang in a statement on Monday.
“The government should immediately address this delay as the PdPR (online home-based teaching and learning) started today, 14 June until 17 July. Throughout the Movement Control Order, school were closed and students’ classes were conducted online but not all students could afford telecommunication devices or data,” she said.
Jannie said it is not acceptable for the laptop distribution to be delayed when funds was already allocated and the government only has to determine eligible recipients based on available data.
The assemblywoman said she had received a number of requests for laptops and she knows that many students in Sabah do not have any suitable equipment for the PdPR such as smartphones or laptops.
“A teacher from SK St Anthony, Dontozidon in Penampang said 429 students have applied for such laptops but they are still waiting,” she said.
Apart from the 150,000 laptops, Jannie said the federal government should also provide information on the status of RM100 million allocation for loans to purchase laptops promised to recipients under the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN).
Jannie also said that she hoped the Sabah government’s RM15 million allocation for the provision of laptops to underprivileged students taking the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) and Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia (STAM) examinations this year is not an empty promise.
Phase one of the Computer Compassionate Assistance (BAIK) program will apparently begin on July 19 to October 18 this year to provide 10,000 laptops.