Internet access in all schools improved to high-speed - Mahdzir

Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said of the 10,000 schools in the country, internet access had been increased to high-speed in 6,000, mostly in the urban areas.

"Another 4,000, including those in the rural and interior areas are being upgraded and this will be completed by 2018," he told reporters after launching the Kelantan Teachers' Day celebrations at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Belimbing here Thursday.

Also present were Education Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Alias Ahmad, Education director-general Tan Sri Dr Khair Mohammad Yusoff and Kelantan Education director Jaafar Ismail.

Mahdzir said high-speed internet access would not only facilitate teaching and learning in the classroom but would also help teachers and school staff perform their duties.

He said teachers should master the latest technologies in information technology and communications, especially in education.

Earlier, in his speech, Mahdzir said Parents-Teachers' Associations (PTAs) and related non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as the school alumni must be more active in helping the schools achieve excellence.

He said they should be involved in the Teacher's Day Celebrations and make it a community event which is not confined to teachers only.

At the event, the former head of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Dato Ahmad Maher Mohamad Fauzi Mamat and former head of Sekolah Menengah Teknik Tanah Merah Ghazali Ismail received the Tokoh Guru Negeri Kelantan 2017 awards.