National Science Challenge 2024 Focuses On Country's Ir 4.0 Readiness

KUALA LUMPUR, April 18 (Bernama) -- The National Science Challenge (NSC) 2024, which offers a hands-on approach and direct mentorship programme from academic and industry experts to school students, will emphasise elements of creativity and national readiness in facing the Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR 4.0).

In a statement today, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang said NSC 2024, hosted by the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM), focuses on utilising cutting-edge technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, robotics, automation and big data analytics.

He said the technologies serve as platforms to nurture the adaptive skills of young talents in Science, Technology, Mechanical and Mathematics (STEM) and provide students with the latest knowledge and crucial technologies to tackle national issues such as climate change and food security.

“NSC complements the existing curriculum in schools, particularly inculcating out-of-classroom STEM knowledge,” he said.

Meanwhile, ASM president Datuk Dr Tengku Mohd Azzman Shariffadeen said NSC not only emphasises students’ mastery of knowledge but also underscores critical thinking and effective communication skills.

According to the statement, NSC seeks to nurture interest in STEM fields among school students and address the national issue regarding the decline in the percentage of secondary school students opting for pure science streams.

Themed ‘Pioneering Innovation and Sustainable Solutions in the Era of Digital Transformation’, registration is open to Form One to Form Four Malaysian students from April 1 to May 31 at https://www.akademisains.gov.my/2024-nsc/.

-- BERNAMA