Roland (second left) hands over a certificate of appreciation to one of the judges for the ‘Best Presentation’ category.
KUCHING (Feb 12): Sarawak aims to have 45 per cent of secondary school students taking the Science Stream by 2030, says Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister Datuk Roland Sagah Wee Inn.
According to him, this target is in line with the initiatives of the state’s Post Covid-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030 of having more Sarawakians learning and mastering the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects.
“Presently, we have 28 per cent (of those in Science stream). Our target is 45 per cent by Year 2030,” he said in his speech at Serian District Education Office (PPD)’s ‘Colloquium on Research of Action for Teachers’ in a hotel here yesterday.
The minister also highlighted Sarawak’s goal of becoming a developed, high-income state by 2030 and participating in the new economy related to STEM.
Reminding teachers that 2030 would ‘just be a little over seven years away’, all those involved must start early in getting young Sarawakians be interested in STEM.
“Our target is to have more STEM students because that would determine the talents that we have for the future. For now, we are in the midst of collecting data on what talents needed in our state.
“We want talents that are recognised. We want an education system that is recognised globally, not just ‘jaguh kampung’ (‘local champions’),” he said.
Roland said for students not academically-inclined, they should be encouraged to go for technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and obtain skills-based certificates that could be upgraded up to a degree level.
“We encourage teachers to instil in pupils the interest in technology to increase the number of those staking subjects related to TVET and STEM.”
In addition, Roland said his would collaborate with the federal Ministry of Higher Education in holding a STEM-related programme.
He said Serian had been identified as the venue to hold this programme, and one of the potential facilities for it would be the newly-completed Sarawak Administrative Complex.
Moreover, he said the STEM-related programme was discussed during a recent meeting in Putrajaya with Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad.
In this regard, Roland said the repair and rebuilding works on dilapidated schools, run under the RM1 billion allocation from the federal government, was still on-going but the Covid-19 pandemic had caused some delays.
Nonetheless, he believed the situation would improve as more economic sectors would be set for reopening.
“That will take time. Let the classrooms not be the excuse for not being able to perform. Hope you’d all be patient,” he said.
Meanwhile, Serian District Education officer Charlie Ungang said the three-day colloquium, funded by the ministry, was focused on inculcating in students the culture of research, especially in making learning and teaching more conducive.
Also present were Sarawak Education Department deputy director Omar Mahli, permanent secretary to Roland’s ministry Datu Kameri Affandi and Institut Aminuddin Baki Sarawak director Judah Ahmad.
from Borneo Post Online https://bit.ly/3BeP9tp
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