KOTA SAMARAHAN: The number of students interested in learning science in schools is at a low point, said Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) deputy vice-chancellor (Academic and International) Prof Dr Ahmad Hata Rasit.
However, he believes that a Scienceploration Camp 2020 programme organised by Unimas Pre-University (PPPU) here could help to spark interest of schoolchildren in learning science.
“This is a very important programme not only for the schoolchildren, but for the schools of which they are from.
“When they go back to their respective schools, they need to encourage their juniors to enroll in science streams because we need more enrolment in science streams not only in schools of Sarawak but also in Unimas,” he said.
Ahmad said this when officiating at the Scienceploration Camp 2020 at Pusat Islam Tun Abang Salahuddin (Pitas) Unimas here yesterday.
“When we first started this programme in 2016, we knew that there were not many students from Sarawak enrolling in Unimas’ Science Programme.
“It is very difficult to get students from Sarawak to join these science programmes as they prefer to go for arts programmes,” he claimed.
Ahmad added that currently, there was only a 19 per cent enrolment rate in the science stream.
“If we have at least 50 per cent enrolment in science streams, the future of the next generation in Sarawak will be brighter. We are not saying that the arts stream is not important. But in science and arts, there must be a balance and at the moment, the enrolment is not balanced,” he explained.
