Lease-to-use approach to reduce burden of school administrators - Radzi

PUTRAJAYA: The lease-to-use approach for the procurement of laptops and other technology devices for school use can reduce the burden of various parties to maintain the equipment, said Senior Education Minister Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin.

He said the approach is one of the transformation efforts by the Ministry of Education Ministry (MOE) to optimise the use of laptops and related devices like projectors and printers, in line with the education digitalisation needs at educational institutions.

"Suppliers will repair the damaged devices and this can ease the burden of schools, especially school administrators nationwide," he told a press conference after officiating an education transformation programme at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Putrajaya Presint 18(1), here today.

Radzi said the approach which is being actively implemented beginning early this year and is expected to end next year, is divided into three phases with the first phase, which involves 3,910 schools nationwide is almost 90 per cent complete.

The second phase involves 3,455 schools and is expected to be completed in early 2023 while the third phase which is scheduled for completion by the end of 2023 will be implemented in 3,400 schools.

Radzi said the three phases involved an allocation of RM1.3 billion while the supply of equipment was done according to zones to enable vendors to quickly repair the devices in the event of damage.

Meanwhile, he said, the MOE will also implement a hybrid class pilot project involving 550 classrooms in 110 schools by providing high-speed Internet access infrastructure in classrooms.

"With the presence of hybrid classes, schools will be able to organise cross-learning with other schools and it can strengthen the delivery of existing teaching and learning.

"We are now in the final process of selecting the schools and we hope to be able to implement the programme in November," he said.

In another development, Radzi said the MOE was in the process of completing the digital education policy, with the assistance of the Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit (MAMPU), which is expected to be tabled to the Cabinet soon.

At the same programme, Radzi also handed over devices to 25 schools in Putrajaya under the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Equipment Lease to Use Project.

-- BERNAMA