KUALA LUMPUR, July 17 (Bernama) -- Students have described that introducing the Rahmah Prepaid Student Package specifically for school leavers pursuing higher education aligns with the current online learning needs.
According to them, through the prepaid package of 30 gigabytes priced at RM30, they can now access fast internet connectivity to learn and complete their assignments.
In PAHANG, Nurul Amylea Maisairah Abdul Halim, a journalism student at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), expresses her gratitude to the government for being concerned about students' needs.
"Everything nowadays requires internet using phone data, and packages like this indirectly facilitate our tasks in finishing assignments," she told Bernama.
A civil engineering student at Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah, Adam Ibrahim Jamaludin, said with the package, students no longer need to rely on university WiFi to complete and submit their assignments.
Yesterday, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil announced the Rahmah package for secondary school leavers who are pursuing their studies at selected public institutions of higher learning and public skills training institutions, which can be subscribed starting August 16 through CelcomDigi, Maxis, U Mobile, TM Tech and YTL Communications (YES).
Mohd Azwan Azmir Razali, 20, a computer science student in TERENGGANU said the initiative provides relief, especially to those who are financially constrained.
Mohd Azwan said he has to spend RM80 monthly on an internet subscription to finish all his assignments on time.
"Although there are internet services in the dormitories, the coverage is often disrupted because the campus is located next to a hill. Whether I like it or not, I have to ask my mother for monthly money to subscribe to internet services," he said.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Syamil Azfar, 20, hopes the initiative can be expedited and extended to all students without specific limitations.
A hospitality management student in PENANG Faizatul Husna Mohd Syukran, 20, said she could save up to RM100 with the package, which she can use to purchase study materials.
Nor Shafiqah Mohd Ghazali, studying in NEGERI SEMBILAN, said the data provided through the package is sufficient for now because learning is not solely reliant on online methods.
In PERLIS, Universiti Malaysia Perlis deputy vice-chancellor (Student Affairs and Alumni) Prof Dr Mohd Mustafa Al Bakri Abdullah, described the announcement for the package as timely because the university is preparing to welcome a new intake of diploma students on July 20.
He said that to ensure students do not miss the opportunity, the university will announce the initiative during orientation week, promote it on its official social media platforms and at residential colleges, and send notification emails.
A language student in SELANGOR Putri Aina Syuaibah Megat Nazaruddin said this latest initiative will help students overcome internet accessibility issues, especially when conducting fieldwork in rural areas.
Meanwhile, UiTM vice-chancellor Datuk Dr Shahrin Sahib @Shahibuddin said the initiative is timely to facilitate students in the B40 category, comprising 60 per cent of students at UiTM, to enjoy more access to communication and internet facilities.
He said the Deputy vice-chancellor (Student Affairs) office and UiTM Communication Department will disseminate information about this latest initiative.
-- BERNAMA
