Dr Annuar: Online education can change education landscape forever

Khairuddin (fifth left) presents a token of appreciation to Dr Annuar, as Pemanca Datuk Jason Tai (third left), Khairuddin’s wife Datin Dayang Mariani Abang Zain (second right), students’ representative Clerie Olivia Fadrick (fifth right) and others look on. – Photo by Peter Boon

SIBU (March 7): The opportunity to move teaching and learning to digital platforms proves the importance of technology and digitalisation in education, says chairman University of Technology Sarawak (UTS) Board of Governors, Dr Annuar Rapaee.

He pointed out that given the constraints caused by the new norms due to the Covid-19 pandemic, educational institutions everywhere have to improvise and pivot to online learning methods or e-learning to mitigate educational disruption.

“This move also further confirms that online education is plausible even on a much larger scale and this could change the landscape of education forever,” said Dr Annuar, who is Deputy Minister for Education, Innovation and Talent Development I, at the second session of UTS’ sixth convocation in Kingwood Hotel here yesterday.

He also presented scrolls to the graduates after officiating at the closing ceremony. The first session of the convocation was held in the same venue a day earlier.

Dr Annuar also observed that the education sector was also not immune to the changes brought about by the new norms.

“It was estimated that over 1.2 billion students globally were affected as educational institutions all over the world shut their doors and had to change their teaching and learning processes,” he said.

He pointed out that the new norms had raised new barriers and posed unprecedented challenges to students and educational institutions alike as face-to-face classes had to be limited, or in some cases stopped completely, due to social distancing.

As a result, students were unable to meet teachers for consultation or friends for discussions, making it difficult to learn and complete assignments, he noted.

At the convocation, the opening remarks were delivered by UTS vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Khairuddin Bin Ab Hamid.

Among others present were the convocation organising committee chairman Prof Mohammad Shahril Osman, who is also the dean for the School of Engineering and Technology, representatives of the university partners, heads of departments, local community leaders and industry partners.

from Borneo Post Online https://bit.ly/3CjNbbE
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