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| Government schools will be provided with fibre optic connection under the 1BestariNet project.
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THE government's 1BestariNet project will ensure that all schools in
the country have high-speed broadband connectivity to provide virtual
learning for students by 2014.
Deputy Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said the
contractor chosen for the project was a licence holder and facility and
network service provider under the Multimedia and Communications Act
1998. The 1Bestarinet project was awarded to YTL Communications Sdn Bhd
(YTL Comms) for a period of two years.
Replying to a question from Er Teck Hwa (DAP-Bakri), Wee said
the contractor was also a licence holder of the rights for a
cloud-based virtual learning system and has the potential and expertise
in providing broadband connectivity.
He said the contractor was the owner and operator of the YES
telecommunications network that provides telephone and 4G broadband
services.
"Under the 1BestariNet project, all 10,019 government schools
will be provided with fibre optic connection at 4 Megabytes per second
(which can be upgraded to 20Mbps). Meanwhile, schools in rural and
interior areas will be provided with the VSAT network with speeds of
2Mbps (which can be upgraded to 4Mbps.)"
Wee said the implementation of the 1BestariNet was based
following studies from the BCG Consulting Group and monitoring of the
Schoolnet project in place previously.
He said the project involved the setting up of the
infrastructure for broadband connection and provision for a virtual
learning system for schools and Education Ministry agencies.
Wee said the government would make considerations on the
scope of the project based on public importance. In answering an
additional question from Er, Wee said while schools had previously spent
RM600 under the Schoolnet project, they will now only pay RM475 for the
improved service.
Meanwhile, the house heard yesterday that private higher
learning institutions have been found to lower their entry
qualifications to attract student enrolment, for profit's sake.
Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah
said the ministry was aware of such issues and were constantly
monitoring such institutes.
"Some colleges have also been found to put up inaccurate
information in their advertisements about the courses and facilities
offered.
"Last month alone, my ministry had, together with the
Malaysian Accreditation Agency (MQA), conducted spot checks on 226
colleges," he said. He was responding to a question from Datuk Noraini
Ahmad (BN-Parit Sulong) about steps taken by the ministry in identifying
colleges which provide false credentials about their courses.
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