High tech: Fadhlina signing a smartboard during the handover ceremony at SMK Bayan Lepas, Penang. — LIM BENG TATT/The Star
GEORGE TOWN: Malaysian schools nationwide are saying goodbye to chalk dust from blackboards and the acrylic smell of whiteboards as they embrace smartboards, giving the classroom a much-needed digital shift, says Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.
Starting with Penang, the first state to fully implement smartboards in all of its 396 government schools, nearly 10,000 additional schools across the country will be equipped with this technology in phases by 2027.
Teachers will be able to save their notes and illustrations on these boards as pages in various formats and share them with students, she said.
With a tap and swipe, teachers can now bring the world into the classroom – multicoloured diagrams, real-time student input and lessons saved at the touch of a button.
“The ministry is preparing supporting plans, which include upgrading teachers’ activity centres to transform them into centres of excellence for educational technology,” she said following the Smartboard Handover Ceremony and the Declaration of 100% Smartboard Sponsorship for Penang Schools yesterday.
She said the ministry hopes to roll the venture out fully next year, as it aligns with the planned introduction of the new curriculum and aims to increase the use of smartboards.
She said smartboards promoted more interactive and effective learning while boosting digital skills among students.
However, she said that technology and AI cannot completely replace the role of teachers, emphasising the crucial role of educators as guides, particularly in promoting morality, integrity and character.
Teachers present at the event yesterday were visibly delighted after witnessing the capabilities of the smartboards.
English teacher Chong Voon Sing, 37, said the smartboards will allow educators to create, save and share lesson content in various formats while supporting live collaboration through multicoloured input and device connectivity.
Teacher M. Radha, 55, said all class notes and visual aids on the boards could be sent directly to students, making revision easier.
“It’s colourful and engaging, and it saves time; instead of moving from desk to desk, I get instant feedback from all students,” she said.
