Smartphones essential for home-based teaching and learning

KUALA LUMPUR: Students used to be banned from bringing their mobile phones to school, but as the country currently facing COVID-19, the device has become a necessity for home-based teaching and learning (PdPR) session.

For parents who have many school-going children, they have to provide their children with mobile phones or computers to ensure that they do not lag behind in their studies at the primary or secondary school level.

Many parents are looking for second-hand smartphones or computers to enable their children to follow the PdPR lesson and according to a media report, a famous preacher Ustaz Ebit Liew received 43,000 messages from individuals in need of gadgets for PdPR purposes.

Upon receiving the message, the preacher had bought 100 tablets to be distributed to students from less fortunate families.

For 45-year-old Mariah Ismail who has five school-going children and sells “kuih” for a living, she could not afford to buy a gadget each for her children.

The only option available for Mariah was to buy a second-hand mobile phone at RM250 so that her five children can take turns in using it during the PdPR session.

“Three of my children, who are in Standard Five, Standard Two and kindergarten will use my smartphone while the other two, who are in secondary school, will share the second-hand one to complete the tasks given by their teachers.

“This is the best way to ensure my children do not lag in their studies,” said Mariah, who lives in Kampung Melor, about 25 km from Kota Bharu city centre.

For a father from Alor Setar, he had to buy two sets of smartphones worth RM1,000 for his two children in Standard Three and Four to follow the PdPR session set by their respective class teachers.

“At home, we have one laptop but I’m using it for my office works. So, to facilitate the PdPR session, there is a need to get smartphones as they are now a necessity for students,” said Azhar Abu Bakar, 58.

Checks by Bernama in Klang Valley since the beginning of 2021 school session, found that many parents and students are looking for the right gadget to be used for PdPR.

“Before MCO (Movement Control Order), there are not many customers and not much of profit. But since PdPR was implemented, many parents come to the shop to buy devices for their children,” said Mohd Shamin Shamsuddin, an assistant manager of a gadget shop.

A computer and laptop shop staff Md Zainuddin Md Rofi, 28, said the demand for these two devices had increased.

“In a day, more than six laptops can be sold, compared to before, only one or two people will buy,” he said.

-- BERNAMA