Manyin (second left) presents certificate to one of the SLDN graduates. The minister is flanked by Sudarsono on his right and Nidzam.
KUCHING: The state government has proposed to the federal government for the setting-up of a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) centre in Bintangor.
According to Minister of Education, Science and Technological Research Dato Sri Michael Manyin, the proposal has come up following the federal cabinet’s decision to close the teachers training institutes (IPGs) in Miri and Bintangor.
He said the state government had agreed with the closure of IPG Miri, which would be turned into a technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institution, or a polytechnic.
“But for Bintangor, we are putting our proposal to the federal government for it to be used for STEM and agriculture (studies).
“That is the centre that we believe will help us to improve our STEM performance,” he told reporters after officiating at the National Dual Training System (SLDN) convocation ceremony in Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) yesterday.
Manyin’s remarks were made in response to the federal government’s plan to set up STEM – one of the initiatives towards achieving the National Transformation 2050 (TN50) aspiration, as announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak when tabling Budget 2018 last Friday.
Manyin lamented that the state’s current performance in ‘is very poor’, in that the performance indicator among students in Sarawak stands at only 23 per cent against the national target of 60 per cent.
“Still, the national performance in STEM is also not very high – because of that, we are concentrating on STEM and English now,” he said.
Meanwhile, Manyin reminded SLDN graduates to be prepared in facing various challenges as the world is taking a leapfrog from the ‘Industrial Revolution 2.0’ into ‘Industrial Revolution 4.0’.
He said today, high-skilled workers are highly required to implement tasks that are getting more complex, as well as to innovate and improve the processes and products through the use of new technology.
“In the very near future, we may need skilled workers who are similar to robots to carry out these tasks and implement things.”
A total of 274 SLDN trainees received their scrolls from Manyin during the convocation, which was organised by the Sarawak Regional Department of Skills Development.
Department of Skills Development (Human Resource Ministry) director-general Nidzam Kamarulzaman and Manyin’s ministry permanent secretary Datu Sudarsono Osman were also present.
SLDN graduates pose with their scrolls.