(Seated from left) Sudarsono, Manyin and Singh and others pose for a photo call before start of their meeting.
KUCHING: Sarawak is looking forward to input from Estonia in setting up the state’s own Science Centre.
Education, Science and Technological Research Minister Dato Sri Michael Manyin Jawong mentioned this when receiving a courtesy call from Estonian honorary consul to Malaysia Col (Rtd) Datuk Harbans Singh yesterday.
Manyin also said he had just returned from leading a study trip to learn from the best science centres in the region located in Penang, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.
With Estonia now becoming the digital leader in Europe, Manyin said Sarawak is hoping Estonia can help with the establishment of Sarawak Science Centre.
Also present at the courtesy call were permanent secretary to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Research Datu Sudarsono Osman, chief scientist and chief advisor for Digital Economy to the Sarawak Government Prof Jugdutt (Jack) Singh and Sarawak Education Department official Graman Ringi.
On a related matter, Manyin also informed Singh that Estonia can also help Sarawak in inputs for better school management and in the field of analytics.
He said his ministry had requested the state Education Department to identify schools in every division where 21st-century classrooms could be set up.
He explained that both the department and ministry need to come up with the costing estimates so that a proposed budget can be prepared for this purpose.
Manyin also shared on the history of Sarawak to Singh, and hoped that more information on Sarawak’s history can be included in the national school syllabus.