STEM EDUCATION
KUCHING: The authorities should not only focus on students but also the parents in order to improve Sarawak’s performance in Science, said Minister of Education, Science and Technological Research Datuk Seri Michael Manyin Jawong.
“Many parents tend to have a fear that Science is always difficult, so they want their children to go into other fields instead.
“That is why a lot of our boys and girls now are not really keen on exploring science subjects. It is because the parents do not really encourage them to do so,” he said, adding that many parents also sought an ‘easy way out’ in this regard.
He was speaking at the Malaysian Institute of Chemistry (IKM) Sarawak Chemistry Night 2019 and 33rd anniversary dinner at the Chemsain Building here on Saturday.
Manyin urged the institute to convince students and parents, pointing out that Sarawak has shown a very poor performance in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (Stem).
“In Sarawak, only 24.3 per cent of students enter pure science classes at the Form 4 level,” he said.
He highlighted the stark contrast of this compared to other countries, revealing that in Japan, Singapore, Finland, Germany and Estonia, performance in Stem was about 80 per cent.
“Even in countries like Cambodia and Vietnam, the performance in Stem is about 70 to 80 per cent. Ours is 24.3 per cent,” Manyin pointed out.
He mentioned the state government’s efforts to improve its Stem performance, including the teaching of Science and Mathematics in English for Primary 1 pupils starting next year.
“Sarawak is taking up the challenge,” he said, believing that this would be successful with the support of parents and teachers.
He believed that pure science subjects ― Chemistry, Biology and Physics ― were very important, therefore expressing his appreciation towards IKM’s efforts in promoting it throughout Sarawak.
During the ceremony, the IKM Sarawak Merit Awards were presented to several individuals for their outstanding academic achievements.
At the SPM level, the award was given to Louis Liew Yu Shuen, Pung Cheng Hui and Tracy Kong Ying while Azreen Farhana Mohd Hasnain and Eve Callysta Valerie Maclin received the award for STPM/Matriculation level.
Thien Ai Hua (Bachelor of Science in Resource Chemistry), Nur Dzaina Zaidel (Master of Science in Chemistry) and Dr Khadijah Khalid (Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Adsorption Chemistry) were also presented with IKM Sarawak Merit Awards.
Among those present at the function were IKM president Datuk Dr Soon Ting Kueh, IKM Sarawak chairman Dr John Chan and past IKM Sarawak chairman Prof Dr Lau Seng.
