(Eastern Times; May 7, 2006)

MIRI: Those ICT facilities in school must be maintained in tip-top condition so that they can be used longer.

Launching at the rural ICT Guided Home-Based Tecnopreneur (RIGHT) programme and PIKOM PC Fair at the Indoor Stadium here yesterday, Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr George Chan, said he was disappointed with schools in the rural areas which did not maintain their ICT facilities. “ Worst still, some of these facilities were never used because no one knows how to use them.”

He thus hoped the RIGHT Programme would make the learning process in rural schools more efficient.

The programme, run by Ministry of Rural and Land Development, Education Department, Mobif Berhad and Intel, involves sponsoring candidates from the rural communities to be trained by Sarawak Information Systems Sdn Bhd (SAINS), and on graduation, they will be sent back to their respective communities to provide ICT training.

Among those present at he launching was Federal Minister of Plantation Enterprise and Commodities Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui, Assistant Minister of Infrastructuere Development and Communication Lee Kim Shin, PIKOM Chairman Dr Wong Say Ho and SAINS CEO Teo Tien Hiong.