GEORGE TOWN, The Penang State Education Department (JPN) aims to have all 396 schools throughout the state equipped with at least one smart board by the end of this year. State Education directot, Abdul Said Hussain said currently almost half of the primary and secondary schools in the state are still not equipped with such facilities. "Based on the data we collected two months ago, there are 189 schools that do not have smart boards and most of them are in the Southwest District. In fact, approximately 83 schools that not only do not have smart boards as well as smart TVs (smart televisions) or any interactive teaching and learning (PDP) devices. "Thus, our target is to equip all schools with at least one smart board by the end of this year, with the help of all members of parliament, state assemblymen and non-governmental organisations (NGOs)," he told Bernama. He said this when met at the Aidilfitri celebration at Sekolah Kebangsaan Pendidikan Khas (SKPK) in Jalan Hutton, here today, which was also a ttended by Deputy Minister of Finance and Tanjong Member of Parliament Lim Hui Ying. -- MORE Abdul Said, hopes the vision can be realised in line with the digital education agenda emphasised by the MADANI Government led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and the Digital Education Policy (DPD) launched by Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek in November last year. This is because, he does not want any students or schools to be left behind or denied the right to learn while most other schools, especially in urban areas, are already at the forefront of learning using digital learning methods. "All citizens have the right to get a fair education. That is why in this regard we really hope for the cooperation of MPs and assemblymen to help the JPN take care of the area by ensuring that every school in their area is equipped with smart boards. "We have also informed the state government of our wishes and the response received was very good," he said. Meanwhile, Lim, in her speech, supported JPN's wishes an d expressed her commitment to ensure that all six schools in the Tanjong parliamentary constituency, including the District Education Office (PPD), will be supplied with smart boards by June. At the same event, Lim also presented the Tanjong Member of Parliament's contribution amounting to RM41,600 to Jalan Hutton SKPK to maintain and upgrade the facilities of the school.. Source: BERNAMA News Agency