Malaysia
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Since Malaysia implemented the first computer system in 1966, the Government has introduced various initiatives to facilitate the greater integration of ICT to improve capacities in every area of life, including the enhancement of education and training programmes.
Currently, Malaysia is making every effort to steer the economy towards a knowledge-based one. In July 2001, the Deputy Prime Minister announced that Malaysia’s K-Economy Master Plan was in the final stages of formulation.
Furthermore, “Vision 2020”, Malaysia's long-term vision, calls for sustained, productivity-driven growth, possible only with a technologically literate, critically thinking workforce, prepared to participate fully in the global economy of the 21st century. At the same time, Malaysia’s National Philosophy of Education calls for “developing the potential of individuals in a holistic and integrated manner, so as to produce individuals who are intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and physically balanced and harmonious.”
The Ministry of Education sees ICT as a tool to revolutionise learning, to produce richer curricula, enhanced pedagogies, more effective organisational structures in schools, stronger links between schools and society and the empowerment of learners. The concept of ICT in education, as seen by the Ministry of Education, includes three main policies for ICT in education:
- ICT for all students, meaning that ICT is used as an enabler to reduce the digital gap between the schools
- The role and function of ICT in education as a teaching and learning tool, as part of a subject, and as a subject in its own right
- Using ICT to increase productivity, efficiency and effectiveness of the management system
Strategies
In order to support the country’s ICT master plan and fulfil Vision 2020, the education system is in the process of being transformed, to create a new generation of more creative and innovative Malaysians who are adept with new technologies and able to access and manage the information explosion. ICT-enabled Smart Schools act as a catalyst within this process. The first phase of implementation began in 1999 with 90 schools. These constitute the pilots, a sampling of the array of schools in Malaysia. Broad deployment to the remaining schools started from January 2000 using a phased approach.
Smart Schools are not only characterised by the introduction of technology but by their ability to deliver education in a better way. The Government envisages that all schools will be converted into Smart Schools by the year 2010. Multimedia technologies will create the enabling infrastructure for new teaching-learning and management processes, the connectivity to the external constituencies, and the educational network to link all Smart Schools. The three pilot applications are teaching learning materials, a more accurate assessment system and an integrated management system.
Other ICT-related projects involve the pre-service and in-service training of teachers, along with the training of school administrators and other school staff. Innovative projects such as the use of electronic books and e-learning are also being piloted.
In addition, non-governmental agencies are very much involved in the drive to introduce ICT into schools, with The Chinese Smart Schools project, aiming to set up computer laboratories in more than 100 selected Chinese stream primary schools throughout the country, and Private Smart Schools, incorporating multimedia technology and worldwide networking, in addition to using ICT as part of the teaching-learning environment and as a subject in its own right.
The Ministry is committed to utilising the following multi-prong strategies to ensure that the objectives of ICT in education are achieved:
- The preparation of sufficient and up-to-date tested ICT infrastructure and equipment to all educational institutions
- The roll-out of ICT curriculum and assessment and the emphasis of integration of ICT in teaching and learning
- The upgrading of ICT knowledge and skills in students and teachers
- Increased use of ICT in educational management
- The upgrading of the maintenance and management of ICT equipment in all educational institutions