1 week Ago By Jacqueline Raphael
Lee shows his signature on a plaque with a STEM logo, created using a special machine, to mark the opening of the STEM Playground. MIRI (Sept 8): A paradigm shift in education is taking place and this highlights the importance of the Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (STEM) education, said state Transport Minister Dato’ Sri Lee Kim Shin. STEM education, he said, is the way forward in driving Sarawak’s green economy initiatives that are focused on renewable energy, ecotourism, sustainable agriculture, and so on.
“Thus, it is very important that we prepare our students with relevant knowledge in this field so that they are prepared for the future’s job market that may require experts in the field of green economy. “Future jobs will be based on science, technology and innovation (STI), and for us to achieve the status of a developed country, employment opportunities based on STI will also increase,” he points out. In this regard, Lee reiterates the need to prioritise STEM education and start nurturing the students’ interests in taking up STEM subjects from young.
“The young generations have to master the STEM fields to fill in high-skilled jobs, whereby this skilled human capital in the field of technology will be the core of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR 4.0),” he said at the launch of STEM Playground at Pustaka Negeri Sarawak here yesterday.
With the emergence of IR 4.0, he says the field of technology is becoming more sophisticated and complex, thus requiring everyone to have high knowledge and resilience to face the present-day challenges. “The world and the current market need a generation of youths that is resilient and not only users of technology, but also creates or initiates technology.
“If we do not succeed in mastering the STEM field, we will continue to be left behind in the ever-growing global modernisation,” he said. For that, the Senadin assemblyman opined that various proactive measures to amplify STEM efforts must be utilised through interesting teaching and facilitation sessions. “An interesting STEM teaching and facilitation session (PdPc) can increase the students’ interest and development in this field.
“Students who follow the STEM PdPc will have high-level critical thinking and innovative skills, technologically literate, can create things, solve problems and make good decisions,” he said. “Thus, the thought that STEM subjects are difficult needs to be repelled to prevent them from continuing to stay away from this field,” said Lee, while commending the Tabung Ekonomi Gagasan Anak Sarawak (Tegas) and other organising partners for hosting the STEM programme. Present at the event were Tegas Community Innovative Learning (TCIL) senior manager Fredick Kevin Buseli; Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation Berhad head of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Hazwan Razak; and Pustaka Negeri Sarawak Miri regional manager Razak Rambili.
The two-day STEM Playground programme, hosted by the Sarawak government through TCIL, is a free family-friendly exhibition and features a variety of interactive STEM activities..
