Students allowed to bring computer devices to school

STUDENTS in lower secondary schools will be allowed to bring their own computer devices to access digital textbooks in schools next year.

Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching said the ministry has no plans to supply devices to students to use digital textbooks.

"But if parents allow their children to bring tablets for the digital textbooks, then that’s fine.

"We call it bring your own device because for next year, it is still at the early stages (of implementing digital textbooks).

"From there we will monitor the reaction of the students and parents on this initiative," she said in reply to Datuk Mas Ermieyati Samsudin (Independent-Masjid Tanah) who asked about the measures taken to reduce the usage of paper in schools.

Teo said the government intends to introduce digital textbooks for those in Form One to Form Three next year.

She said the ministry plans to introduce interactive digital textbooks for those in Form Three in 2020.

"And in 2021, we will prepare interactive digital textbooks for those in Form One, Form Three and Form 4.

"In 2022, the digital interactive textbooks will be available for those in Form One to Form Five," said Teo.

She said the ministry has taken proactive steps in utilising technology by digitalising textbooks in stages.

Thus far, the ministry has turned 495 printed textbooks into digital Portable Document Format and have uploaded them in the 1BestariNet website for students and teachers.