Bangsa Johor Pilot School Project Transforms Facilities, Boosts Learning Morale

By Hasnah Jusid and Nur Fatin Mohmad Kadenen

The implementation of the Sekolah Rintis Bangsa Johor (SRBJ) or Bangsa Johor Pilot School  project, which began last year, is starting to show a positive impact, including public acceptance of digital technology-based teaching and learning (PdP) approaches. This report is the second in a five-part series examining the achievements, implementation, and direction of SRBJ in Johor.

JOHOR BAHRU, Jan 26 (Bernama) -- There is no denying that scepticism regarding the effectiveness of digital technology-based teaching and learning (PdP) has been a primary concern for parents of pupils at institutions selected for the Sekolah Rintis Bangsa Johor (SRBJ) or Bangsa Johor Pilot School project.

Nazri Naim, 41, with two children at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Tasek Utara here, admitted to first favouring traditional chalkboards and physical textbooks as better tools.

However, these doubts faded once he witnessed the comprehensive transformation of the school following its upgrade, alongside the positive changes in his children's behaviour, achievements, and abilities since the SRBJ project was launched last February.

Previously, the school appeared dilapidated and had old infrastructure. It has now transformed into a modern institution reminiscent of an international school featuring a conducive, comfortable learning environment and advanced digital technology to support interactive teaching and learning (PdP).

More importantly, every pupil in Years Four, Five, and Six receives an iPad tablet as their primary learning tool, enabling students to 'enter' the world of digital teaching and learning (PdP), including through the Google Classroom application within the Digital Educational Learning Initiative Malaysia (DELIMa) learning platform developed by the Ministry of Education (MOE).

The platform provides interactive teaching materials and digital learning resources for online and hybrid learning, enabling pupils to access digital textbooks, complete school exercises, and receive continuous assignments and teacher instructions.

Nazri says this approach not only simplifies the learning process but also successfully increases children's interest and motivation to attend school and participate more actively in teaching and learning (PdP) sessions.

"The desire to learn has increased. The children enjoy school more because teachers use smartboards and digital materials. They are quick to 'pick up' and understand lessons better compared to the old chalkboard method," he said.

Another parent, Nor Maslina Mohd, 42, said that the conducive and comfortable environment has made her children more enthusiastic.

"Before, teachers gave instructions via WhatsApp or Telegram, but now, with the iPads, all students use Google Classroom. Schoolwork and information are delivered by teachers through that platform, making it easier and more practical," she said.

Nor Maslina said the SRBJ project has notably improved her children’s English proficiency.

"We don't speak English at home, so we didn’t realise their true ability. When teachers shared videos of their presentations, we saw they could communicate well in English," she said.

Inspired by the Regent of Johor, Tunku Mahkota Ismail, in 2024, to ensure Johor students do not fall behind, the SRBJ project focuses on four pillars - English Proficiency, STEM Excellence, Employability and Character, and Assessment and Competency.

A total of 2,500 iPads were supplied to Year Four, Five, and Six pupils across the four SRBJ schools, equipped with high-speed internet access and modern facilities, including smartboards in every classroom.

Meanwhile, Danial Rahmat, 38, a parent of a pupil at the school, said that the SRBJ project, which emphasises digital learning, has also had a positive impact on English language proficiency.

"In this day and age, I see that children love gadgets like mobile phones, so when they received the tablets, their curiosity grew and they became more enthusiastic about learning. Indirectly, I have also seen an improvement in their English language proficiency under the guidance of their teachers," he said.

Fateha Novianti Azani, 37, added that a significant change has been seen in her child's attitude and confidence since the implementation of digital learning at the school, noting that her child, who was previously shy, now appears more confident as the learning environment has become more interactive through the use of smartboards.

She said digitalisation increases students’ interest in learning and also builds self-confidence and communication skills, adding value to their academic and character development.

SK Tasek Utara Headmaster Uzaini Abdul Razak said the response to the SRBJ project has been very encouraging, with the school receiving high demand from parents seeking to enrol their children, although the school's student intake capacity remains limited.

He added that this shows growing parental confidence in digital education and SRBJ's direction, even though it's still early days.

The SRBJ project has an allocation of RM54 million, with RM31.22 million for Phase One, RM22.78 million for Phase Two, covering infrastructure upgrades and high-impact educational modules.

The four pilot schools for the SRBJ project, which commenced for the 2025/2026 session, are SK Seri Kota Puteri 4, SMK Seri Kota Puteri 2, SK Tasek Utara, and SMK Tasek Utara. These schools apply the "feeder-acceptor" concept between primary and secondary levels to ensure continuity in student development from the early stages through to higher levels.

-- BERNAMA