Najib Abdul Razak today fulfilled a promise he had made to Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia students in Sarawak - equip each of them with a laptop computer.

The prime minister, during a walkabout in April at Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Ladong, Sarawak, had expressed this desire so as to raise the quality and outcome of education in the state.

Under the pilot project, laptop computers will be given to 33,000 SPM students in the urban, rural and interior areas of the state, with the distribution to be completed by September.

“With the promise fulfilled, I am confident and believe that Sarawak students will perform better in their studies.

“The collaboration between the federal and state governments to develop human capital in Sarawak will achieve the desired outcome,” Najib said after handing over laptop computers to five student representatives at the Perdana Putra building in Putrajaya.

Sarawak Chief Minister Adenan Satem, Deputy Education Minister P Kamalanathan and Education Ministry secretary-general Madinah Mohamad were also present at the event.

'Computers would help students revise'

Kamalanathan said the Barisan Nasional government was committed to fulfilling its promises, and said the RM45-million pilot project would help the SPM students to revise their studies more effectively.

He said the laptop computers would be loaned to the students and, after their examinations, would be collected to be loaned to SPM students in the following year.

“With this provision of laptop computers to students regardless of religion, race and background, we hope the students in Sarawak will be able to raise their academic performance,” he told reporters after the event.

Kamalanathan said the government would monitor the success of the project and extend the laptop computer facility to students in other states.

“Sarawak was selected for the pilot project because it has a fair share of urban, rural and interior areas. We will monitor the effectiveness of the programme. If it is successful in Sarawak, it will be extended to the rest of the country,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Sg Tapang, Samarahan student Gerald Fidler Begeli said the computer, with the relevant subject software uploaded, would assist him to do well in the examination.

Kuching High School student Jonathan Lim Hao said he had his own laptop computer but the one given by the government had software that he did not possess.

“I hope this facility will help raise the achievement of Sarawak students in the SPM examination,” he said.

Kuching High School principal Tan Kiang Tuang said the government initiative was most meaningful for students who did not own a laptop computer.

“With the advances in technology, the aspect of learning at one’s fingertips must be enhanced among the students,” Tan said, adding that it could help reduce dependence on textbooks.

- Bernama