Abdullah Instructs Speed-Up In Smart Schools Move

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 7 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has instructed the Education Ministry to speed up the programme to turn all schools into smart schools especially those in the rural areas.

He said the measure must be taken to provide quality education for all students and close the gap between urban and rural students. "Quality education should not only be available for students of big schools in towns but students in rural areas should also enjoy the same opportunity.

"It will take time but we are in a hurry to ensure all schools become smart...we need to speed up," he said at the alumni dinner of Bukit Mertajam High School here Tuesday night. He noted that the cost of building smart schools was high, at RM40 million each. (Bernama)

At RM40 million each, what exactly define as a smart school?, what criteria makes a school "smart"? Does is mean broadband, internet and using ICT predominantly as a teaching tool? "Smart" schools, is really that important?

What about the essentials like competent school instructors, equally importantly, the education programs currently adpoted specially english, are they meant to help student merely to communicate or giving them the ability to express themselves at a much mature level, a mind-opening experience?

Is there a qualified benchmark to all of these initiatives? It make you wonder at times, are we making the right investment for the right purpose.