Mohamad Amirul Azwan Rusli’s progress was rewarded with a RM1,200 cash grant and a school starter pack. — Picture by Hari Anggara

KUALA LUMPUR, March 28 — Mohamad Amirul Azwan Rusli was not doing well in his studies until recently when technology helped him improve his grades.

The student from Kampung Gong Kulim, Kelantan used to score Cs and Ds in Mathematics, Science, and English before joining Maxis’ eKelas programme, an after-school e-learning initiative that uses technology to improve the academic performance of students from rural communities.

Amirul passed his end-of-year school examinations with flying colours, scoring As in Mathematics and Science and a B plus in English.

His efforts were rewarded at the Anugerah Gemilang eKelas 2019 ceremony where he received a cash grant of RM1,200 to be deposited into his National Education Savings Scheme (SSPN) account.

The Form Four student received the award along with 24 other students who also showed significant progress in their studies after being involved in eKelas.

Amirul told Malay Mail that the prize has fuelled his drive to continue excelling in school.

“I’m feeling very proud after receiving this award and even more motivated to improve my academic performance,” he said.

Anugerah Gemilang eKelas 2019 award recipients posing proudly with their prizes. — Picture by Hari Anggara

eKelas allows students to engage in live tutorials with experienced teachers in Mathematics, Science, and English.

A portal containing helpful quizzes, notes, and other learning resources was provided to the student and was recently equipped with a feature named eCikgu which connects students directly with teachers through a chat forum.

Students can access the facility through the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC)’s 72 Pusat Internet locations in 10 states across the country.

More than 9,000 students have signed up to the programme so far which aims to remove geographical barriers within education by connecting learners from different states through the eKelas portal.

“The most interesting aspect of eKelas was getting to have discussions with students from all around Malaysia and not just in my hometown of Kelantan,” said Amirul.

“We got to do activities, experiments, and research together for our subjects.”

Present at the event were Maxis chairman Raja Tan Sri Arshad Raja Tun Uda, Maxis chief executive officer-designate Gokhan Ogut, and MCMC chairman Al-Ishsal Ishak.

MCMC chairman Al-Ishsal Ishak says the digital future of the country rests in the hands of the next generation. — Picture by Hari Anggara

Al-Ishsal stressed the importance of digital literacy in students as Malaysia continues to develop as a country.

“From a macro perspective, it is important for us as a nation to accelerate digital adoption,” he said.

“One vital aspect of Malaysia’s digital future is building the right talent to future-proof the skills and jobs to meet the demands of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.”