Kelantan Dad Sets Up “Classroom” Tent Atop 20-Meter Hill For Daughter’s Online Studies

By Karissa Lund  •  30 Nov 2020 in News

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With a mosquito coil and a small fan beside her, Nurlieda Khaleeda Mohd Azmi calmly answers some examination questions under a tent erected atop a 20m-high hill. On her table are her laptop and a WiFi modem.

According to Malay Mail, the hill is located just behind the 20-year-old’s house in Kampung Bukit Petai Tujuh and is the only location in her village with good internet coverage.

The makeshift “classroom” was set up by her father Mohd Azmi Ahmad as CMCO is in order and his daughter is trying to stay away from their local town which is three kilometres away.

Mohd Azmi also placed some chairs and a table in the tent set up about 30m away from their house to ensure his daughter could study comfortably.

Nurlieda Khaleeda said she used the classroom almost every day during the CMCO, but not during night time, as she was worried about her safety as well as venomous animals such as snakes.

She told reporters that her main concern right now is her current exam for her studies in medical laboratory technology at University of Malaya Medical Centre.

“What worries me most is that I’m currently sitting for examinations from Nov 23 until Dec 3. I have to switch on my handphone camera to allow the lecturers to monitor me. I am quite stressed with the intermittent internet connection in the village which makes it difficult for me to sit for my examinations. In fact, the two hours provided were insufficient due to the unstable connection.

If the internet disconnects, I have to start over and no additional time is given,” she mentioned.

Meanwhile, Mohd Azmi said he would accompany his daughter at the tent until she finished her class or examinations.

“Especially now, as it is raining every day. The tent is uncomfortable, but we have no choice for the sake of her future. This is not a problem only we are facing, but also other students in higher education institutions and schools,” he said.

He also noted that the Internet and telecommunications coverage problem was nothing new, and those in five nearby villages also faced a similar predicament. According to him, some younger people have even built tree houses to get better coverage.