BY ZARINA ABDULLAH
KUCHING: Sarawak is targeting 40 percent of its upper secondary school students to take up pure science in the next two to three years, said Education, Science and Technological Research Minister Datuk Amar Michael Manyin Jawong.
According to him, the national 40 percent target is quite impossible to achieve in the near future as only 23 percent of upper secondary schools students throughout Sarawak enrol into science stream this year.
“We also recorded only 22 percent of upper secondary school students taking science stream last year whereas the target for the whole of Malaysia is 60 percent.
“If there is no increase in student enrolment in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem) subjects, then it will be difficult for us to achieve the digital economy in the next five to 10 years.
“Therefore, it is very important for us to give early exposure to our children so that their interest in Stem can be nurtured from a young age,” he said in a courtesy call here today.
At the event, Manyin also commended the teachers’ training institute (IPG) of Batu Lintang’s initiative in organising the Stem pilot project programme for primary and secondary school students (especially in rural areas) to improve their performance in Stem.
“Interest is very important because without interest, a student will not master a subject well.
“Therefore, this project is very much in line with the state government’s efforts to increase the number of students taking pure science stream in the next few years,” he stressed.
Also present was IPG Batu Lintang director Jamiran Salam.
