Zaidi (sixth left) and Yahya (fifth left) are seen discussing the details of the SK Ulu Segan to check on the readiness of the telecommunication trunking/ducting for SMA to plan the shifting of equipment from the old school.

BINTULU, 7 September 2022 - Both pupils and teachers of the newly-completed Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Ulu Segan, Sebauh are looking forward to the day when they can enjoy a fast internet speed with the installation of fibre-optic cable.

SK Ulu Segan headmaster Yahya Piduman said currently, the students are still studying at the old school building, located some five kilometres away, which is prone to flood as it is situated near the river.

“We will move in by October, 2022 once the school is fully furnished. And after that, hopefully the internet service could be installed at our computer lab,” said Yahya, after a meeting with Sarawak Multimedia Authority (SMA) general manager Dr Zaidi Razak at the new school premises here yesterday.

Yahya added that the school has received twelve desktops from the Sarawak government for the computer lab, while the pupils have been provided with laptops by the Ministry of Education.

“We are looking forward for the internet connectivity because the pupils need it for their online studies,” he said.

Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg visited the school last week.

The school is expected to be fully furnished by October 2022, after which, the Sarawak Public Works Department (JKR) will then hand over the school to the Sarawak Education Department. The new school costs the Sarawak government RM26 million to build.

Zaidi, on the other hand, highlighted that SK Segan’s internet connectivity initiative is part of the Sebauh Rural High-Speed Open Broadband Network Project.

He said the project involved the installation of 130 kilometres of fibre-optic cable and telecommunication equipment to cover 60 rural sites including longhouses, schools and government agencies.

“This project is in line with the state government’s mission to achieve the objectives of Sarawak Digital Economy and to bridge the digital divide between rural and urban areas.

“This is a Proof of Performance (POP) project showcasing an intricately designed, structured and implemented network that provides affordable high-speed broadband connectivity to rural communities,” added Zaidi.

He said through the initiative, the communities in Sebauh are able to enjoy seamless internet connectivity of up to 100mbps. Currently, average daily concurrent users are 1,418.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Utilities (Telecommunications) Datuk Liwan Lagang when asked to comment on the initiative said it will enable the state government to commence and expedite the implementation of the digitalisation programmes under the Sarawak Digital Economy Strategy 2018-2022, especially in the rural areas.

“At the same time, this project is in line with Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 agenda under the Digital Infrastructure, in order to develop infrastructure in a multi-tiered ring network design in a cost-effective manner,” he stressed.

Liwan said the Sarawak government is committed and also cares about the education needs of the pupils as they are the future of the State’s talents in order to propel the State to achieve developed status through PCDS 2030 which is underpinned by data and innovation.

Source: The Borneo Post