E-textbook introduction draws mixed reaction from public

PETALING JAYA: The surprise announcement by the Deputy Education Minister on schools going digital with the introduction of e-textbooks next year has drawn mixed reaction from the public.

Although educationist Datuk N. Siva Subramaniam said the move was timely and a step forward in improving the country’s education system, many find that this may pose disadvantages and unforeseen consequences to students, parents and teachers.

Some of the main concerns highlighted include the financial burden students and parents may face should they need the devices, theft of the devices and also health concerns in terms of damaging eyesight among students due to prolonged screen time.

Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching announced on Friday that e-textbooks would be introduced in secondary schools starting next year, but details were still being ironed out.

She said the ministry was discussing whether to let students download these e-books on their personal devices or on school devices, adding that the content would be in PDF format first but would eventually be made more interactive later on.

One concerned Facebook user, Jamaliah, said, “Yes, no doubt it (going digital) is good but there are many bad (consequences) too. Children will face the screen for long hours and handwriting will be bad.”

She also said that if one buys a tablet today, it becomes obsolete tomorrow.

“Books are better,” she added. Another user said, “I am more worried about the children’s eyesight in the long term ... This is not a good idea for primary or secondary schools. Objection!”

One user asked: “Will the tablets be sponsored by MOE? Any control over its usage at school level?”

In terms of theft control, one comment by Steven read, “How many students can afford this and is our society ready for this? e.g. theft issue?”

On the other hand, there are also those who support the decision and those who believe that there should be a mix of digital and print materials for learning.

“It’s about time anyway ... this is the age of digital devices. We cannot prevent it from happening but we can control the type of hardware and software,” said Fakhzan.

On another note, there are also tech issues attached to the e-textbook proposal.

“Two things have to be considered when selecting a device – screen and storage size. A larger screen makes it easier for students to view e-textbooks, but too large a screen can result in heavier and pricier devices,” said a tech industry source.

How many students can afford this and is our society ready for this? Steven