CORONAVIRUS | Now that the movement control order (MCO) has entered its second phase, the Education Ministry will take the approach of introducing television-based learning sessions through RTM's new channel, TV Okey, starting next week.

Education Minister Mohd Radzi Md Jidin said the TV-based learning programmes will offer a series of practice sessions for students facing public examinations this year, particularly those without Internet access.

“We have taken this approach especially for students without Internet access but who have television sets. We do realise that not all students have Internet access.

“The ministry has taken this approach to provide as much room as possible to not only students but also teachers and parents to have access to education throughout the MCO period,” he said when appearing as a guest on RTM’s Bicara Naratif programme last night.

Mohd Radzi, who is also a senior minister, said although the ministry had before this issued guidelines, teachers have been given some leeway to adopt what they think is the best approach to be used to ensure effective implementation of Teaching and Learning throughout the MCO period.

Mohd Radzi said as the MCO is unprecedented, the ministry had conducted a survey since March 28 on what were the devices or gadgets used by students at home.

Some 500,000 parents of 700,000 students responded to the survey, especially those with Internet access.

"We found that almost 80 percent of secondary students, and 36 percent of primary pupils, own smartphones. However, for other devices, such as tablets, desktops and laptops, the rate was quite low, between five and 14 percent only.

“Yes, they do have access to the Internet but mostly via smartphones and there can be constraints this way, especially when the learning sessions are complicated, in the process making it more difficult for the students to complete their assignments or tasks,” he said.

- Bernama 

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