Harden (third left) declares open STEM Trailblazers Sarawak 2023 while Azmi (third right), Lau (second left) and others look on. – Photo by Roystein Emmor
KUCHING (July 6): Opportunities for students to venture into Industrial Revolution (IR) 4.0-related fields will be greater when they have a strong foundation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), said Datuk Roland Sagah.
The Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development said the new economy requires more technologists than ever before and in this era of IR 4.0 and digital economy, those who shun technology will lose out.
“It is not enough that we are merely users of technology but we must also be able to design, create, manufacture, produce and sell our products.
”We must be able to create demand for our technological products, so much so that we should be big players in the technology industry,” he said in a speech read by his deputy Datuk Francis Harden Hollis.
Harden was representing Sagah to officiate at the STEM Trailblazers Sarawak 2023 programme held at Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak campus (Swinburne Sarawak) here today.
Sagah said to achieve this, one of the prerequisites is to have basic knowledge, skills and competencies in STEM.
“I know that STEM is a scary acronym for most students and hence the low enrolment in STEM Packages subjects in Form 4.
“As it is, average enrolment for the past five years is 30 per cent, well below the national target of 60 per cent,” he said.
He said in addition to increasing STEM Packages enrollment, his ministry also placed emphasis on Vocational and Technical Education (VOTEK).
”It is through VOTEK that one can acquire the necessary skills and competencies required by the industries,” he said.
On STEM Trailblazers, he said the programme would be one of the Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development’s signature events and would also be held on an annual basis.
”Going by the scale of what we have today, I am throwing a challenge to organise a larger scale event next year, maybe to include other divisions concurrently. I am giving my full support,” said Sagah.
STEM Trailblazers is held over three days starting today and will take place concurrently at Swinburne Sarawak and Curtin University Malaysia in Miri.
This first of its kind initiative aims to showcase the best talents Sarawak has to offer and underlines the Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development’s relentless efforts to develop the state’s human capital.
Permanent secretary of the Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development Azmi Bujang and Swinburne Sarawak pro vice-chancellor and chief executive officer Prof Lau Hieng Ho were also present at the opening ceremony.