Five New Initiatives Proposed To Cultivate STEM Interest From Primary School
SIBU: Five strategic initiatives to strengthen the implementation of Sarawak's Ujian Penilaian Program Dwibahasa (UP-DLP) have been presented to the Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development, Dato Sri Roland Sagah Wee Inn.
Deputy Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development I, Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee, said the proposal was put forward in view of the still-low participation rate of students in the science stream in Sarawak, which requires immediate intervention measures.
"Yesterday I briefed my minister (Dato Sri Roland Sagah) on five initiatives which I hope will be accepted by the government for primary school pupils.
"As we know, student participation in the science stream remains very low. In fact, it is among the lowest in the country.
"One of the reasons is the lack of STEM-related facilities in primary schools, causing pupils' interest in science to erode from a young age," he said.
He said this when speaking at the Misi A+ Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2026 Programme at Hotel Kingwood on Friday.
The initiatives are the Year Six Intensive English, Science and Mathematics Module (UP-DLP); Year Six Intensive English, Science and Mathematics Training (UP-DLP); Effective Mathematics Education in English (EMEIE) in collaboration with the Singapore Education Consulting Group, involving the empowerment of 6,000 Mathematics teachers across Sarawak; the Sarawak Collaborative Learning Interactive Experience (SCALE) approach through the use of digital textbooks; and the provision of Science Kits for primary schools.
"Alhamdulillah, PETRONAS is helping us, and we are also enhancing teachers' capacity to teach English as well as Mathematics in English.
"We also have intensive training modules for Year Six pupils and hope that the interactive digital books, developed in the form of animation and gamification, will spark pupils' interest in learning," he said.
Meanwhile, the Misi A+ Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2026 Programme was held from June 22 to 26, with the participation of 155 SPM candidates from three secondary schools, namely Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Sedaya, SMK Nanga Dap and SMK Kanowit.
The programme was organised by the Kanowit District Education Office in collaboration with the Kanowit District Office and sponsored by the Lembaga Kumpulan Wang Konsesi Hutan, Ministry of Natural Resources and Urban Development Sarawak.
Also present at the event were Machan assemblyman Allan Siden Gramong, Ngemah assemblyman's representative Desmond Juat, Kanowit District Officer Cerisologo Sabut, Sibu Division Resident's representative Hayati Ali, and Kanowit District Education Officer Dali Rain. -UKASnews
