The two companies announced the collaboration at Friday’s launch of the Sarawak Rural Broadband Initiative in Julau, about 150km from Sibu, which involves deploying 500 units of Intel Classmate personal computers (PCs) to rural schools across the state.

In addition, an Intel Learn Programme will be implemented in telecentres state-wide by Danawa. The programme aims to help young people in developing communities around the world to develop skills, and make connections that enrich their lives and prepare them to succeed in the knowledge economy.

“As a technology provider, Intel is committed to support any government’s information technology (IT) agenda, especially in the area of education,” Intel Malaysia country manager Ryaz Patel said.
“More importantly, in line with the government’s drive to achieve 50 per cent broadband penetration by 2010, we are also thrilled to work with Danawa to implement Intel Learn Programme in telecentres statewide,” he said.

He added that the main challenges when integrating technology in education for rural schools throughout Sarawak were the lack of funding, and limitation in terms of physical and communication infrastructure.

“Intel Classmate PCs resolves some of these issues because it is a rugged mobile device and offers wireless connectivity.

“Hence, students are not restricted to technology access which was previously the case with small computer labs that had limited number of PCs,” he said.

The Intel Classmate PCs are equipped with software and applications, which encourage teachers to integrate these devices into lessons which they may have previously taught without the use of computers.

Danawa is a regional ICT and Internet service provider based in Sarawak, which currently has several regional network collaborations including in Indonesia and Hong Kong.

Business Times – http://www.btimes.com.my/articles/intel20/Article/

“Keupayaan untuk mendapatkan guru yang berkualiti baik adalah sangat terhad sekali.

“Oleh itu, kewujudan program teknologi maklumat dan komunikasi (ICT) dengan pelbagai perisian komputer dapat membantu guru-guru di sekolah luar bandar mencari kaedah pembelajaran yang lebih baik,” jelasnya.

Taib berkata demikian ketika merasmikan Program Wadah Kerangka Perkembangan Teknologi Maklumat dan Komunikasi (ICT) untuk Pembangunan Kapasiti Insan yang berlangsung di SK St Alphonsus, Julau, semalam.

Katanya, Pengerusi Sarawak Rural Broadband Initiative (SRBI) Datuk Abdul Hamed Sepawi telah menjalin kerjasama dengan Cambridge University untuk membuat reka bentuk perisian.

“Setakat ini, perisian tersebut dapat dijalankan di kawasan Oya, Mukah dan lain-lain.

“Saya berharap jika ini didapati oleh kerajaan pusat akan kebaikan penggunaannya, kemungkinan dapat digunakan di kawasan luar bandar di Sabah dan Semenanjung Malaysia,” ujar Taib.

Bagaimanapun, beliau menjelaskan ia adalah bergantung kepada keputusan kerajaan pusat.

“Penyebaran ilmu pengetahuan di kawasan luar Bandar adalah satu perkara yang sangat penting.

“Dunia ini sangat luas dan terdapat teknik-teknik mengajar dengan model-model perisian telah diciptakan untuk memudahkan cara kita mengajar anak-anak,” ujar beliau.

Katanya, penggunaan kesemua perisian dapat disesuaikan dengan keperluan keadaan negeri.

“Maka, saya percaya cara kerja guru masa kini akan berubah dan mereka tidak akan terpaksa menggunakan teknik pengajaran secara hafazan, sebaliknya dapat diubahkan dengan sistem komputer,” jelasnya.

Sehubungan itu, Taib berkata, kerajaan negeri berharap kerajaan pusat dapat bekerjasama untuk menghubungkan pelajar dengan menggunakan kemudahan Internet di luar bandar.

Menurut Taib, kerajaan pusat telah memperuntukkan RM500 juta bagi memperkasakan penggunaan infrastruktur komunikasi di kawasan luar bandar.

Pada majlis yang sama, Taib turut menyampaikan pengiktirafan usaha sama antarabangsa dengan Intel Malaysia, University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) dan One-Laptop-Per-Child/Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab dan melancarkan kempen kesedaran ‘Children Online Proctection’.

Ketua Menteri turut melawat ke Rumah Jana Sawing di Batu Matup, Julau bagi menyaksikan demonstrasi oleh komuniti rumah panjang tentang penggunaan ICT dalam aktiviti seharian.

Dalam majlis berkenaan, Taib turut menyampaikan geran bernilai RM200,000 bagi projek pembaikan atap Rumah Jana Sawing.

Hadir sama dalam majlis itu ialah Timbalan Menteri Penerangan, Komunikasi dan Kebudayaan Datuk Joseph Salang, Timbalan Ketua Menteri Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu, Menteri Pembangunan Sosial dan Urbanisasi Dato Sri William Mawan, Menteri Muda di Pejabat Ketua Menteri (Sumber Manusia dan Latihan) dan Pertanian (Ekonomi Rumah Tangga dan Latihan) Datin Fatimah Abdullah.

Timbalan Ketua Setiausaha Kementerian Penerangan, Komunikasi dan Kebudayaan Malaysia Datuk Dr Mohd Ali Mohamad Nor, wakil Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri, Timbalan Setiausaha Kerajaan Negeri (Bahagian Perancangan dan Pembangunan) Datu Abdul Ghafur Shariff, Pengerusi Suruhanjaya Komunikasi dan Multimedia Malaysia (SKMM) Tan Sri Khalid Ramli, Ketua Pegawai Operasi SKMM Datuk Mohd Sharil Mohd Tarmizi dan Pengerusi Sarawak Rural Broadband Initiative (SRBI) Datuk Abdul Hamed Sepawi turut hadir.

Borneo Post – http://www.theborneopost.com/?p=62607

JULAU (Sarawak) : Chief Minister Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud launched the Sarawak Rural Broadband Initiative (SRBI) here yesterday.

It is a programme to bring high-speed Internet connectivity to rural and under-served areas of Sarawak.

The launch was held at SK St Alphonsus at the Rumah Jana longhouse.

State-owned telecommunications provider Sacofa Sdn Bhd and Internet and infrastructure provider Danawa Sdn Bhd are behind the SRBI, which offers affordable high-speed broadband connection to areas such as Pulau Bruit, Tanjung Manis, Matu, Daro, Dalat, Oya, Betong and Spaoh.

Taib said the aim of the SRBI was to uplift the living standards of the rural population through the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

It is also an effort to reduce the digital divide between urban and rural areas.

“We don’t want the rural people to be left behind as we believe that they can increase their income through marketing farm products in their homepage, or seek knowledge on how to increase the output of their farms.

“They can also seek better markets for their handicraft products.”

Taib said it would also benefit rural students in their studies.

Deputy Minister of Information, Communications and Culture Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum said the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) had contributed RM10 million to the Sarawak government for planning and implementing ICT development framework in rural areas.

He said the Federal Government had allocated RM500 million for the laying of ICT and Internet infrastructure in Sarawak.

“My ministry pledges to continue working with the state government to achieve a 50 per cent household broadband penetration rate by the end of 2010.

“Currently, the penetration rate is 16.7 per cent,” he said.

He hoped that the state government would assist the service providers in developing communication infrastructure such as building telecommunication towers and base stations.

He said the MCMC wanted to build 500 telecommunication towers by 2010, which was at least one tower in each of the 31 parliamentary constituencies of the state.

Gandum said SRBI deserved special mention as one of the most aggressive state-wide broadband service deployment in the country.

“In future, broadband has to be viewed as a national utility service and no longer a luxury,” he said.

Gandum urged telcos not only to provide better quality service, but also offer lower rates for their Internet and telephone packages so that the public, especially in the rural areas, could afford to connect to the Internet.

NST  – http://nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/articles/25band/Article/index_html

Program Wadah Kerangka Perlembangan Teknologi, Maklumat dan Komunikasi (ICT) untul Pembangunan Lapasiti Insan

“Showcasing ICT Development Framework for Human Capacity Building Programme”

Dirasmikan bersama oleh

YAB Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud

Ketua menteri Sarawak

dan

YB Dato’ Seri Utama Dr. Rais Yatim

Menteri Penerangan, Komunikasi dan Kebudayaan, Malaysia

20 November 2009

SK St Alphonsus, Julau

Since its inception, project implementers Sacofa Sdn Bhd (Sacofa) and Danawa Resources Sdn Bhd (Danawa) have successfully deployed affordable high speed broadband connectivity to many rural and under-served areas in Sarawak, including Julau, Pulau Burit, Tanjung Manis, Mukah, and Matu.

Sacofa-Danawa is committed to pave the way towards building human capacity and increasing rural communities’ self-sufficiency through planned diffusion of information and communications technology (ICT), such as computers and the Internet, into rural communities.

SRBI includes programmes such as Showcasing ICT Development Framework for Human Capacity Building and Demonstration of Cambridge ICT Starters (CIS), Intel Classmate PC (CMPC) and One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) by students at SK St Alphonsus.

Part of the challenge of managing the digital divide issues is addressing the ICT adoption gap, which is prevalent in rural communities.

Danawa engages in various international smart partnerships to provide ongoing support to rural communities and the necessary tools (computers for education), skills and knowledge (computer eduction) to adopt ICT.

During the showcase event, Intel Malaysia and Danawa are expected to announce a smart partnership aimed at bridging the digital divide in Sarawak. This collaboration will involve the deployment of Intel CMPCs in rural schools throughout the state.

Intel Corporation and Danawa have also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU), which appoints Danawa to implement the Intel Learn Program in telecentres nationwide.

This appointment is highly significant as Malaysia is now the second country in the Asia Pacific region licensed for the programme after India.

The joint effort between Intel and Danawa was initiated last June, when Intel committed to donate 500 units of Intel CMPCs to rural schools in Sarawak.

Danawa is also engaged in an international smart partnership with the University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) for the implementation of the CIS programme to rural Sarawak schools.

It is a world-class skill-based program designed to introduce key ICT applications to students in order to acquire ICT literacy and to understand the impact of technology in our daily lives.

The collaboration with CIE has been ongoing since 2001 and to date, 248 educational institutions nationwide are involved in the implementation of CIS.

The success of the programme is affirmed by the award of more than 15,000 modular certificates to students in rural schools in Sarawak and more than 173,000 modular certificates nationwide.

Danawa works closely with the OLPC organisation to promote constructionism learning theory through exploratory and experimental learning using computers equipped with activities developed by world acclaimed Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab, Boston USA.

The OLPC deployment methodology has been extensively field-tested and validated throughout the world, including Ethiopia, Nicaragua, Haiti, Peru, South Africa, Mongolia, Nepal, Rwanda, Afghanistan, Mozambique and many more. More information on the OLPC initiative can be obtained via http://laptop.org.

As part of the showcase, SK St Alphonsus pupils will hold a demonstration on CIS, Intel CMPC and OLPC.

They will demonstrate skills such as playing music and songs, learning arithmetic, exploring basic computer programming software, recording short videos and taking photos.

Thereafter, Taib along with a delegation will proceed to Rumah Jana where they will be briefed on the integration and adoption of ICT into daily activities by the longhouse community.

They will also able to witness how the locals use ICT in their daily activities.

URL – http://www.theborneopost.com/?p=62346

Click here to view the embedded video.