300 Scientists To Be Brought To 300 Schools To Strengthen STI Culture

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 5 (Bernama) -- A total of 300 scientists will be brought to 300 schools nationwide through the STI 100³ Year 2026 Programme, starting today, in an effort to expand the culture of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) and attract more students to pursue fields in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) said today that the programme, in strategic collaboration with the Malaysian Board of Technologists (MBOT), also expands the involvement of professional technologists and technicians in the national STI ecosystem.

According to the statement, scientists will be matched with schools based on their areas of expertise to carry out various STI cultural activities, including knowledge sharing, interaction with students, and exposure to STEM applications in real life.

The involvement of scientists at the school level is hoped to inspire students to make STI their career path in the future.

"This effort is important for Malaysia to achieve high-tech nation status and create an innovation-based economy," according to the statement.

According to MOSTI, the initiative serves as a catalyst to encourage more school students to pursue STEM fields, ensuring the country has sufficient talent and workforce to invigorate the national STI ecosystem.

Meanwhile, Science, Technology, and Innovation Minister Datuk Chang Lih Kang said that the programme brings the expertise of scientists, technologists, and technicians directly to schools to expose students to the application of STEM in real life.

“We also want this exposure to spark curiosity, build confidence, and open students' minds regarding studies and career opportunities in the field of STEM.

"This is an effort to build STI talent capable of creating, mastering, and leading future technology. This programme is hoped to provide a boost to the National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (NSTIP) for Malaysia to become a country that produces and creates technology using domestic talent," he said.

Based on statistics from the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), a total of 86,384 STEM job offers through online job advertisements were recorded in the fourth quarter of 2025, indicating that the demand for labour in this field continues to exist in the national job market.

The STI 100³ 2026 Programme was launched on Aug 18 in conjunction with the MBOT Experts Network in Technology, Innovation and Cooperative Event (ENTICE 2026).

The initiative also strengthens cooperation between MOSTI, the Ministry of Education, MBOT, the scientific community, and schools in expanding the culture of STI and exposure to STEM.

-- BERNAMA