By Nur Salinah binti Zazali
A saying of “a strength-based classroom is a place where students with all sorts of labels come together as equals to form a new type of learning environment” should be a fundamental of equality in youth education. It indicates that each of the students is entitled to the same opportunities and quality of education regardless of background.
However, the situation is different in the rural area of Sabah. Apart from the lack of smartphone devices for virtual learning, they are surviving for the poor internet access, lacking facilities, and so forth. How can a student acquire quality education if they are lacking all these basic needs in education?
Could we conceive our own siblings or relatives having to cross a river or climb a tree for the sake of finding a good internet connection? It happened in Sabah’s rural areas such as Keningau, Kinarut and many other interior locations.
“Recently, eight students in Kampung Gusi, Kinarut were injured when the bridge they were sitting on in the bid to get better internet reception collapsed.”
Due to this incident, “Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) said it would be providing broadband service to the village using Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT), the latest by Dec 15, 2020”.
Other than that, the integration work between the Chief Minister of Sabah, Datuk Hajiji Noor and the National Digital Network (Jendela) in allocating three telecommunication towers in Kampung Gusi has provided facilities to the affected students.
Education is a basic thing that can lead to a revolution in society and the backbone to that success needs to be supported by government bodies such as the MCMC.
Recently, on 23 November, the Sabah government and MCMC have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to implement the communication infrastructure permit management (CIPM) system allowing installation of communication towers with valid permits in the rural areas.
This effort will benefit villagers to communicate effectively between their families. Hence, the local authorities should work closely with the MCMC in providing better coverage of internet connection.
Therefore, students will not be left behind in their learning sessions.
A total of eight local authorities have been involved in this MoU such as Tawau Municipal Council, Sandakan Municipal Council, Penampang Municipal Council, Putatan District Council, Tuaran District Council, Keningau District Council, the Beaufort District Council, and Kudat Town Board.
The allocation of RM3.6 billion for this communication tower needs to be mobilised competently, transparently, and vigorously for the students and villagers.
Apart from that, the internet is important as a motivator for them to continue learning despite the outbreak of COVID-19.
With that, there is no district left behind due to the poverty of internet coverage which in turn makes Sabah a state that is not only a tourism spot but a developed state rich in natural resources and technology. ***
(This article is written as part of feature writing exercise for Corporate Writing class)