KUCHING: For Sarawak to produce the right intellectual capital, the people must be well versed in science subjects, especially Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.
He said despite the country’s downward trend towards STEM subjects, it still needed to promote STEM in order to propel the state’s economy.
“As far as Sarawak is concerned, we are now developing basic infrastructure for the people to learn more and have interest in the subject.
“We have just concluded Idecs 2019, where renowned futurist and theoretical physicist Dr Michio Kaku gave his view on what we should do for the future (2030 and beyond). He shared that our education system needed to be adjusted to future needs,” he said during the launch of the Mind and STEM Festival 2019 at Chung Hua Middle School No. 1 here yesterday.
Abang Johari said Sarawak was heading in that direction, and wanted students especially to know the difference between memorising and understanding the concept.
“We would like our students to understand the concept and the system in any technology that they want to embrace, rather than just memorising the whole thing.
“Although we would like to have a photographic memory, there must be a combination between the two (memorise and understanding the concept),” he stressed.
He said as most science subjects were based on understanding the concept, the state government decided to adopt English as the medium of instruction for Science and Mathematics.
“Prime Minister (Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad) wanted us (Sarawak) to teach the two
subjects in English, so we took the challenge.
“I understand there have been talks between Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (Utar) and Education Ministry in exploring the possibility of producing the right teachers who can communicate with the students in English. For this, there must be a mutual understanding between knowledge provider and its receiver,” he pointed out.
To further promote STEM, he said the state was putting up a Singapore-inspired science centre, which would be developed by the Education, Science, and Technological Research Ministry.
“The ministry officials have gone to Singapore, and are now working with them.
“This centre will create an ecosystem where students will be able to learn and get the basic knowledge of science, so that they can better understand it,” he added.
