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With the movement control order restrictions, Malaysian students must rely on the internet for lesons. — Picture by Miera Zulyana
APAR, June 19 — Their sister’s excellent results in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) have inspired three younger siblings to climb a hill almost daily to have access to Internet service for their home-based teaching and learning (PdPR) lessons.
Dona Fiona David, 17, and younger siblings, Richie Declare,11, and Falesia Brisha, seven, would begin their journey on foot as early as 7 am to the hill area located about two kilometres from their village in Kopozan Gana here just to obtain Internet service.
Normally, they begin PdPR as early as 8 am, and they are determined to do their best to follow their sister, 18-year-old Debra Penny’s footsteps, who obtained 7As in the SPM recently.
Dona Fiona said they would normally be accompanied by their father David Lamaris, 57, and mother Rosalia Onlon, 46, and would stay until late in the evening to send their school work if the weather was fine.
“Indeed, I did feel like giving up. I felt lazy about following PdPR. However, after looking at my sister’s results, I also want to be like her.
“So, at least three times a week, we must climb the hill here to send in our assignments,” she told reporters here, today.
Meanwhile, Rosalia said her children were forced to climb the hill to take advantage of the good Internet service available.
“We go to the hill regularly to tap rubber. One day, just for fun we checked for Internet coverage and found it was available there.
“So, the children decided they wanted to go and study there, prompting us to build a hut,” she said.
Meanwhile, David said they decided to clear the hill which had prompted more students from the village to join them to sit for PdPR.
“Many children have been going to the hill since the first Movement Control Order because of the good Internet service available and this has continued until today,” he added. — Bernama