Enabling Learning From Home for All Government School Students




KUALA LUMPUR, 25 March 2020

Free Online Learning Resources and Mobile Data made available by a Collaboration between YTL Foundation, YTL Communications and FrogAsia

With educational institutions across the country closed for the coming weeks, educators, parents and students alike are looking for solutions to enable teaching and learning to continue at home during this uncertain time when the routine of daily life has been so suddenly disrupted. Universities and private schools that are well resourced have moved to providing classes online, and it seems inevitable that exams will also be conducted online if the situation does not improve quickly.

Outside of tertiary and private institutions, millions of parents with children in Malaysia's Government schools are left wondering about the status of their children’s education while schools are closed. To find out how it can support parents and students, YTL Foundation carried out a survey among parents with school-going children to understand their primary concerns during this period.

The survey found that for 95% of parents, a key concern is how their children’s education remains uninterrupted while they are at home. 90% of them have at least one mobile device available at home and are open to their children learning online but around 50% expressed the need for data to enable effective access to online learning resources. 

For those in the B40 group, having to purchase data would be a huge burden, especially now when household incomes are at risk. 

The YTL Group has championed the use of technology in education since 2011. The Group truly believes that online learning can provide a rich and engaging experience for students, and with the tools available today, parents and teachers can continue educating children at home during this period. Hearing the concern of parents, the YTL Group is investing in providing free online resources and free mobile data to all students in Government schools. This is to ensure that Malaysian children will not be disadvantaged during their time out of school and can continue to learn at home without the burden of additional costs to their families.

To enable this, YTL Foundation is collaborating with YES and FrogAsia to launch the Learn From Home Initiative.

From today, all students can access FrogPlay Mobile – a gamified mobile App with revision quizzes for every core subject taught in national schools from Standard One to Form Five curated by trusted education publisher, Pelangi.

To provide online access, parents of children in Government schools in the country can obtain up to five free 4G prepaid SIM cards from YES, one for each school-going child in the family. Each SIM comes with a 40GB data plan that will be valid for 60 days upon activation and will be couriered to homes free of charge.

Tan Sri (Dr) Francis Yeoh, Executive Chairman of the YTL Group and Chairman of YTL Foundation said, “YTL Foundation has always been about supporting students and schools to make education better for all. At this time when the country is facing the unprecedented crisis of keeping our citizens safe from the Covid-19 pandemic, we want to make sure that children are able to continue their education at home. We are therefore giving free access to FrogAsia’s online learning resources and providing free data via the YES 4G mobile network. Our hope is that all children in this country will stay safe and stay learning.”

He added, “And as we care for our children at home, let us not forget the front line heroes in essential services who are risking their lives out there, so that the rest of us can stay safely at home. We salute them with all our hearts. May God bless and protect all the rakyat of our beloved nation.” 

Please visit www.ytlfoundation.org/learn to register for FrogPlay Mobile and apply for the free YES prepaid 4G SIM cards. Additional lesson resources are also available on the Learn From Home page on the YTL Foundation website.

About YTL Foundation

YTL Foundation (421570-A) was founded in 1997 on the belief that education is the basis on which every society progresses. By developing and improving education in the communities in which it operates, YTL Foundation aims to empower individuals and communities to be catalysts of change to enrich and benefit society. Over the years, YTL Foundation has provided aid to deserving individuals who would otherwise be denied opportunities to pursue higher education. More recently, YTL Foundation expanded its role; organising workshops, talks and conferences to enrich and inspire educators, students and parents, as well as programmes to bring 21st Century teaching and learning into schools. Through programmes, funding, thought leadership and by championing the use of technology, backed by the YTL Group's 65 year heritage of nation building, YTL Foundation hopes to build better societies, through better education.

For more information about YTL Foundation, kindly visit www.ytlfoundation.org

About YTL Communications

YTL Communications Sdn Bhd (793634-V), is a global frontrunner in 4G Internet and operates a robust “YES'' 4G network in Malaysia with nationwide population coverage across the country. 

YES is the first and still the only PURE 100% 4G Mobile Operator in Malaysia. In 2019, YES successfully emerged as the second country in the world and the first in Asia to deploy Terragraph in partnership with Facebook and as of July 2019, has deployed the world's largest Terragraph network in the world in Georgetown, Penang, offering the world’s fastest public Wi-Fi.

In deploying access to the learning content and FrogPlay Mobile quizzes, all Malaysian parents irrespective of geography and township will have equal access to the best in pure 4G connectivity.

Consistency of data to empower learning in these uncertain times is a requisite so that the future of our nation’s children will not be compromised and this is YES’ commitment to ensuring that Amazing Things Happen When You Say YES. YES has chosen to answer the call of the nation in these challenging times by going above and beyond to ensure all Malaysian parents will have access to the necessary data for education and to this we say, Y E S to Education.

For more information about YES and its services, kindly visit www.yes.my

About FrogAsia and FrogPlay Mobile

FrogAsia Sdn Bhd (968641-K) is a social enterprise that aims to transform teaching and learning through technology. With a mission to provide equal access to quality education for all students, we offer 21st-century learning solutions through a technology-based approach. Our virtual learning environment, the Frog VLE, is a simple, fun and engaging platform that enhances the teaching and learning experience. The platform is adopted and adapted from Frog Education UK, an award-winning education company with nearly 20 years of experience in providing the award-winning Frog Virtual Learning platform to schools used by 12 million students, teachers and parents worldwide.

FrogPlay Mobile is a gamified learning home revision app with revision quizzes for all core subjects for all years. Quizzes on FrogPlay are aligned with the national Malaysian school syllabus and is curated with content partner, trusted education publisher, Pelangi. The app engages learners in a fun and interactive way through revision questions and games. The FrogPlay Mobile application is available on Android and iOS.

FrogAsia has won Platinum trophies for the Excellence in Provision of Literacy & Education Award in the Global CSR Award 2017 and 2019 for providing quality education to schools nationwide. 

FrogAsia's educational programmes, Leaps of Knowledge and the Word Mania Challenge, have been recognised with the Gold Award for Brand Excellence in the Education Sector at the CMO Asia Global Brand Excellence Awards 2014, and the Gold Award for Best Use of Games/Contests/Quizzes at the A+M Asia Pacific Loyalty and Engagement Awards 2014. The Frog VLE Platform has received the BETT Awards for Open Educational Resources in 2018, and Exporting Excellence category in the Education Investor Awards 2017. 

For more information about FrogAsia, kindly visit www.frogasia.com