S'wak targets 40 pct STEM students in next 2-3 years
KUCHING: Sarawak hopes to achieve 40 per cent of its students entering pure Science stream in Form 4 in the next two to three years, said Education, Science and Technological Research Minister Datuk Amar Michael Manyin.
He said the number of students in the state who took up Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects this year was only 23 per cent, far below the national target of 60 per cent.
“The percentage of students taking up STEM when they go to Form 4 has to be more than 23 per cent because probably when the students enter Form 6, the percentage goes down and by the time they go to university, the percentage is even smaller.
“The national target for STEM is 60 per cent but unfortunately I cannot speak on behalf of the nation. For Sarawak, this year we only achieved 23 per cent,” he said in a press conference here yesterday.
Manyin said although this year's percentage is slightly higher than last year's, Sarawak needs to push the STEM agenda in view that the state and nation are aiming for a digital economy and digital society in the next five to 10 years.
“If we do not improve, it will be a big challenge for the state to achieve its goal, which is why we are targeting that in two to three years, we can achieve the 40 per cent target of our students taking up STEM,” he added.
Earlier, the minister chaired a meeting with Batu Lintang Teacher Education Institute representatives at his office where he was updated on the progress of the teaching of STEM-related subjects in English in primary schools in Sarawak, as well as on the plans to expand the programme next year.