PAITAN: Hundreds of schools in Sabah’s rural areas still lack internet access, widening the education gap between urban and interior students, says the state’s new education minister.
Datuk James Ratib said addressing the issue was now a key priority under the newly established Sabah Education, Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry.
He said many schools and rural communities remained without basic connectivity, affecting students’ learning and access to digital education resources.
“I do not want our people, especially students, to be unable to learn because of a lack of facilities or basic infrastructure,” he said when met after attending a district-level Christmas celebration in Paitan, Saturday (Dec 20).
In Sabah, Starlink units have been installed under a federal initiative led by the Communications Ministry through the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, and state agencies such as Sabah Net have also deployed Starlink units to expand internet access locally.
Starlink is a satellite-based internet service operated by SpaceX, designed to provide broadband connectivity to rural and hard-to-reach areas through low-Earth orbit satellites.
James said schools and communities without internet access would be prioritised for satellite connectivity.
“I have appointed an officer in Sabah Net to monitor the rollout because I do not want students to be left behind simply due to a lack of facilities,” he said.
He said about 300 schools had previously been connected, with another 80 to 100 schools expected to receive internet access this year, subject to available funding.
However, he acknowledged that an estimated 300 to 400 schools across the state still lacked connectivity.
“This is something I will discuss with the Chief Minister so that additional funding can be allocated, not only for schools but also for community facilities, so that rural residents can enjoy the same access as those in urban areas,” he said.
