Single mother, 7 children share smartphone to conduct business, for online learning

Umi Naza Osman, 36, said because there was only one device, namely her smartphone, her children took turns using the device, resulting in their PdPR sessions being interrupted when their learning times overlapped.

Her eldest child who is in Form Five and her four-year-old youngest child who is in a nursery follow the learning module using the smartphone.

She said sometimes her children’s learning sessions were interrupted when customers contacted her to place orders for sweet potato chips or banana chips which was now her main source of income.

"I am worried when my children cannot concentrate when there is an interruption due to sharing the device or when there are calls to place orders for my chips, which is conducted on a small scale.

“Not that I do not want to buy another phone, but I have other needs, including paying RM300 a month for rent,” she told reporters at her residence in Kampung Rahmat, Sri Lalang, near here.

She added that each of her children really needs a smartphone because due to the implementation of the Movement Control Order (MCO), teaching and learning sessions were now being conducted online.

Ayer Hitam Member of Parliament Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong who met Umi at her residence yesterday during a programme to present daily essentials to the needy in the parliamentary constituency also donated two smartphones to the family.

Wee, who is also the Transport Minister, said it was hoped that the smartphones would facilitate her children’s PdPR sessions, and allow Umi to make full use of her mobile phone for her chips business.