Terengganu : 25,000 pupils to get laptops

All Year Five pupils in Terengganu will be given broadband-enabled laptop computers under the state’s electronic textbook or e-book programme.

State Education, Higher Education, Human Resource, Science and Technology Committee chairman Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman said some 25,000 pupils are expected to get the computers in phases.

With the computers and broadband connection, he said the pupils would gain access to archives or other vital resources.

Ahmad Razif said the first batch of 150 students here would receive their e-books in the first week of January.

For the first batch, the laptop computers would be procured from Taiwan and distributed by Intel Electronic, he said.

Ahmad Razif said all students would get their e-books by April next year.

He added that Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka would help install the required programs for the computers.

The state government is expected to spend RM30mil for the procurement of the computers.
Ahmad Razid said the state government decided to embark on the e-book project to reduce the burden of school children who had to carry many books to school.

There was also a need to keep pace with globalisation, he added.

Ahmad Razif said the state government also planned to work with Intel Electronic to set up a factory in Gong Badak to produce similar laptop computers for Year Four, Three, Two and One pupils.

The factory is projected to produce 10,000 units a month.