661 Rompin Students Join Petronas STEM Outreach 2026 Prog

KUANTAN, June 9 (Bernama) -- A total of 661 preschool and primary school pupils from nine schools around Rompin district participated in the Empowering Knowledge: STEM Outreach 2026 Programme organised by the national petroleum company, Petronas.

The programme, organised in collaboration with the Pahang State Education Department, aims to expand access to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) learning to rural students who usually face constraints in facilities, distance and cost to obtain such exposure.

Pahang Public Works, Transport and Health Committee chairman Datuk Razali Kassim said the programme played an important role in ensuring that students in rural areas received wider learning opportunities and exposure to the application of STEM knowledge in real life.

He said through a hands-on and interactive learning approach, students had the opportunity to participate in various activities including science demonstrations, workshops, interactive exhibitions and STEM-based games.

"This approach provides a learning experience that is different from the conventional classroom environment, thus helping to increase students' interest and understanding of STEM," he said in a statement today.

Petronas East Coast Regional Office general manager Mohammad Ahmad Shazly Ramli said early exposure through such programmes is important to foster interest and build students' confidence to explore the STEM field as the foundation for their future.

"We have specifically designed this programme to provide opportunities for students in rural areas to enjoy a direct and more meaningful STEM learning experience," he said.

According to the statement, the STEM Outreach 2026 Programme is among Petronas' ongoing efforts to bridge the education access gap, empower local communities and support the nation's aspirations to produce competitive future talents in the fields of science and technology.

Petronas targets different schools each year to expand the benefits of the STEM programme and has benefited over 66,000 students nationwide since 2014.

Meanwhile, the president of the Parent-Teacher Association (PIBG) of SK Bukit Ridan Mohd Jaafar Ramli said the presence of students from schools located up to almost 80 kilometres from the programme location proved that there was a high demand for STEM learning initiatives among rural communities.

He said the STEM Outreach 2026 Programme, which was held for the first time at the school, had successfully opened up access to more interactive and fun STEM learning experiences for students who previously had limited opportunities to participate in such programmes.

-- BERNAMA