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| Government schools will be provided with fibre optic connection under the 1BestariNet project. |
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.
