Collective Effort Key To Strengthening STEM Education - Chang

SHAH ALAM, Sept 7 (Bernama) -- Initiatives to strengthen Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education require a collective effort from all stakeholders, said Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Chang Lih Kang.

He said the effort involved the government, schools, universities, industry and the community working together to identify young talents, while providing them with continuous guidance and opportunities to develop.

Chang said the National Science Challenge (NSC) 2026 YAB Prime Minister’s Challenge Trophy was among the initiatives to strengthen science education by laying a strong foundation in science from the school level.

“This is to ensure that the younger generation not only acquires knowledge, but can also apply it to assess, adapt and find solutions to everyday challenges,” he said in a statement today.

Chang said science education should go beyond memorising formulas and achieving good examination results to shape the way students think, be critical of facts, remain open to ideas, dare to experiment and be honest about failure.

Meanwhile, Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM) president Datuk Dr Tengku Mohd Azzman Shariffadeen said nurturing an interest in STEM from an early age was key to developing a generation that was curious, willing to explore and capable of applying knowledge to solve real-world problems.

The Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Adviser to the Prime Minister and the Nation said the NSC had evolved from a science quiz into a platform that nurtured critical thinking and encouraged students to think creatively in tackling challenges.

“This is the foundation we need to build to produce a knowledgeable society capable of facing future changes and challenges,” he said.

The final round of the competition was officiated by Chang, representing Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Setia Alam today.

Since its inception in 1999, the NSC has grown into one of the country’s major science competitions, giving Form One to Form Four secondary school students nationwide an opportunity to showcase their knowledge, curiosity and interest in science.

NSC 2026 recorded its highest-ever participation, with 18,671 teams involving 56,013 students, including those from 246 rural schools, while five schools nationwide advanced to the final stage.

Sabah Tshung Tsin Secondary School emerged victorious in the final, with Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Tsung Wah, Perak, finishing as runner-up and SMK Agama Jerlun, Kedah, taking third place.

SMK Desa Petaling, Kuala Lumpur, finished fourth, while SMK Tapu, Terengganu, finished fifth.

NSC 2026 was organised with the support of the Ministry of Education (MOE) and Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA), with e-estidotmy and Young Scientists Network (YSN-ASM) responsible for developing its concept and content.

-- BERNAMA