PADANG TERAP: The government expects the setting up of 2,000 21st century smart learning classrooms nationwide will be completed by March.
Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said the RM190 million project, announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak during the 2018 Budget last October, is being rolled out in stages.
He said the selection of schools for the first batch of the smart classrooms, have been done by the respective state Education Departments.
He said each of the selected schools would be getting between two and three of the high tech classrooms comprising both national and vernacular schools.
"This 2,000 schools are for the first batch of the federal government initiative and comprised primary and secondary schools, including Chinese and Tamil vernacular schools, at both urban and rural areas," he said after launching the smart classroom at SMK Syed Ahmad here.
At the event, Mahdzir also launched a 100 Mbps high-speed broadband sponsorship for the school to complement the initiative.
Mahdzir, who is also Padang Terap member of parliament said the initiative was done following the success of a pilot project carried out at three schools; Sekolah Seri Puteri in Cyberjaya, and Sekolah Tunku Kudsiah and Sekolah Datuk Abdul Razak, both in Nilai, Negri Sembilan.
"Similar project had been carried out at some schools in the country through sponsorship either by the schools' Parents-Teacher Association (PTAs), alumni organisations or corporate bodies.
"As for the first batch of this smart classrooms initiative by the government, Telekom Malaysia is one of the strategic partner among the GLCs (government-linked companies)," he said.
Najib had in October announced RM250 million allocation for future education of the National Transformation 2050 (TN50) generation.
Of the total, Najib said RM190 million is allocated for 2,000 classes to be transformed into Smart Classrooms for 21st Century learning to increase creative and innovative learning.
The remaining allocation is meant to develop Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) centres and improve Computer Science modules, including for Coding programmes while another RM20 million will be channeled to the Cultural Economy Development Agency to improve the arts sector.