KUALA LUMPUR: The percentage of Malaysian educators with a basic level of digital competency has decreased, with many progressing to the intermediate level, the Dewan Rakyat was told today (July 15).
Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh said the percentage of educators with a basic level of digital competency was recorded at 23.5 per cent (84,818 educators) as of June this year, down from 57.9 per cent in 2023.
He said the ministry had assessed 360,365 educators as of June this year to ensure there were educators with a high level of digital competence.
"The ministry launched the National Digital Education Policy last year, emphasising several key areas and aspects to improve the digital quality and performance of students and educators.
"The ministry also conducts a digital competency assessment each year to produce highly competent educators.
"Based on our assessment as of June 30, 74.73 per cent (269,301 educators) are at the intermediate level, and 1.73 per cent (6,246 educators) have reached the advanced level," he said during the minister's question time.
Wong said this in response to a supplementary question from Roslan Hashim (PN-Kulim Bandar Baharu) who enquired about the ministry's short and long-term plans to tackle the lack of digital competency among educators in Malaysia.
Findings from the 2023 Digital Education Policy revealed that only 2.2 per cent of educators were at the advanced level for digital competency, 39.9 per cent at the intermediate level, and 57.9 per cent at the basic level.
Wong added that to ensure Malaysian educators were competent and able to adapt technology in the learning and teaching (PdP) process, the Institute of Teacher Education also conducted digital competency training.
This, he said, focuses on the domains of digital learning competency outlined by the European Framework for Digital Competence of Educators.
"The framework has been translated into the curriculum of the education programme at the institute.
"Meanwhile, the ministry has set up a task force to realise the core principles highlighted in the education policy.
"The task force has also been established specifically to develop digital education and achieve the objectives of the policy."
In terms of the distribution of devices and enhancing digital literacy in schools nationwide, Wong said 68,056 laptops were distributed to 3,455 schools with a project cost of RM424,954,812 last year.
"So far this year, 3,885 schools have benefited, including those in urban and rural areas, with 69,604 units of laptops distributed worth RM451,419,488.40.
"Since 2021, the ministry, through Yayasan Hasanah, has also distributed digital devices with data plans to 150,000 B40 students nationwide."