Maxis eKelas demonstrates impact on academic performance with new Anugerah Gemilang recipients
- In its third edition, 75 eKelas students receive student grant awards
- Improvements in academic performance testament to steady progress of eKelas programme
- Maxis continues to foster digital inclusion through eKelas and provide opportunities for students in rural communities to benefit from technology
Maxis eKelas continues its steady progress as a programme that aims to improve the academic performance of students in rural communities. Recently, Maxis awarded 75 most improved eKelas students with its Anugerah Gemilang (student grant award) for 2019, triple the number of recipients from last year.
To date, Maxis eKelas is being delivered at 80 Pusat Internet located across 10 states in Malaysia with 14,000 students now connecting through eKelas portal. eKelas is also now expanding into schools, with 23 schools joining the programme last year with a target to reach out to an additional 50 schools this year. Maxis eKelas is run at Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission’s (MCMC) Pusat Internet, which serve as digital hubs for communities in underserved areas.
“Since 2015, we have been fostering digital inclusion through our Maxis eKelas programme, which provides the opportunity for students in the rural communities to leverage technology for a blended learning experience. We are encouraged by the improvements that students are showing in their academic performance, which is one of the objectives of this programme. We look forward to expanding the eKelas to even more locations and schools to benefit students and the community,” said Gokhan Ogut, Maxis’ Chief Executive Officer.
Launched in August 2017, Anugerah Gemilang is a Student Grant scheme under the Maxis eKelas programme, aimed at motivating and inspiring students to achieve their academic goals. To qualify for the award, eKelas students, in their school examinations, must achieve a minimum of one grade improvement in two or all three of the subjects taught in eKelas. This entitles them to receive RM600 and RM1,200 for those improvements respectively. The cash grant is then channeled to the recipients’ Skim Simpanan Pendidikan Nasional (SSPN) or National Education Savings Scheme accounts.
Pusat Internet Kodiang, Kedah, which started to deliver eKelas to students in its community just recently in mid-2019, had one the highest number of recipients for the grant. One of its students and award recipients, Mohamad Aimin Bin Nik Mohamed from SMK Tunku Bendahara, Kodiang, who achieved 7As in his 2019 SPM, said, “I am very thankful for eKelas which has helped a lot in my revision and studies.”
Mohamad Aimin’s mother, Puan Zainab bt Majid said, “I am very happy that Maxis introduced the eKelas programme to our community here. My son joined the programme to get additional support as he was sitting for SPM last year. eKelas has really helped him to understand his subjects better.”
Pengiran Reoylinston anak Romingstone, a Form One student who hails from Kampung Quop, Kuching, and one of six eKelas students from the small village who receive the grant, was thrilled to hear the good news. “I like learning with eKelas because I can hold discussions with friends and follow live tutorials by the teachers. Other than that, I can share knowledge as well as exchange ideas whenever we discuss things with my group.”
Championing digital learning
eKelas is Maxis’ flagship community programme that champions digital learning for students in rural communities. Students are exposed to experiential learning through a combination of live tutorials, group learning and competitions, as well as access to digital content on the eKelas portal. Maxis eKelas has also been recognised by the Ministry of Education as an initiative under its Highly Immersive Programme (HIP), where students are eligible to collect co-curricular marks from their participation in eKelas.
