Sabah government schools need 45,000 laptops, says state minister

 

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Education department has indicated that its schools required 45,000 laptops.

State Education, Science, Technology and Innovation minister Datuk James Ratib said the application, as identified by the department, would cover preschools, primary schools and secondary schools.

He added that those laptops to be placed in schools and managed centrally through facilities such as resource rooms to ensure effective and equitable usage.

“We want to ensure that Sabah does not lag far behind in terms of technological development, including emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), compared with states in Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak,” he said in a statement.

James had earlier chaired a meeting related to laptop assistance, Starlink and solar panels for schools in the state.

As for the costs of those laptops, he said Sabah State Education Department will coordinate and consolidate the outcomes of the discussions before a formal application is submitted to the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

Meanwhile, he said Sabah has approximately 1,300 schools, and the ministry’s long-term goal is to gradually equip classrooms with smart boards while ensuring teachers receive training in digital teaching methods.

“MCMC will also supply smart boards to support digital learning in classrooms."

James also said MCMC will provide Starlink satellite internet connectivity to 68 schools that currently do not have internet access, as well as solar power systems for schools without electricity supply.