KUCHING: A total of 12,000 students nationwide will receive devices with data connectivity by Yayasan Petronas to enable online learning.
Yayasan Petronas chief executive officer Nelly Francis Shariah said the RM30 million worth of digital devices are being supplied to 81 schools which have a majority of students from B40 house household in 69 districts from May 17 until mid-June as part of their commitment to Cerdik.
Cerdik is a government linked company (GLC)-driven corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative to provide digital access to education via accessibility of devices and data connectivity.
She added that the devices are designed to support the students’ learning requirements for three academic years, and are fitted with data services, maintenance, warranty and technical support.
“Through Cerdik, we want to provide equitable access to quality education for students as it is the first step towards enriching their educational experiences and lives.
“With these devices and Internet service, we hope more students — especially those from underprivileged and rural communities — can better participate in online lessons,” she said.
Based on a survey conducted on 900,000 students by the Ministry of Education (MoE) last year, 37 percent of students indicated that they did not have appropriate devices at home to participate in online lessons.
“During these difficult times, we must help ensure that no one gets left behind in the pursuit of education as there are many families are facing financial pressures from the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions,” she added.
In line with this, Yayasan Hasanah managing director Shahira Ahmed Bazari stated that they are grateful for the support given by Yayasan Petronas.
“Despite logistics issues due to the movement restrictions around the world, we are still on track to deliver the devices based on the stipulated timelines,” she said.
