BY NEVILLE TIMOTHY SANDERS & RASHEEQA BAHIDA
KUCHING: Through strategic platforms such as Malaysia Techlympics, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) said it remains committed to implementing initiatives that foster interest and stimulate the creativity of students and youth in the field of science, technology and innovation (STI).
Deputy Secretary-General (Science, Planning and Mainstreaming), Ruziah Shafei, said the ministry also emphasises future skills such as artificial intelligence (AI), coding, cloud computing, drone technology and other key areas in line with the rapidly evolving digital world.
“The ministry is confident that early exposure to these technologies can produce a highly skilled workforce that will contribute to the nation’s research and development (R&D) ecosystem, thereby supporting Malaysia’s agenda to become a high-tech nation by the year 2030.
“This initiative is also in line with the National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (DSTIN) 2021-2030 Action Plan, which emphasises the implementation of STI culture programmes in an integrated, consistent and inclusive manner to raise public awareness of the role of STI in everyday life,” she said in her speech when officiating at the event at the CIDB Convention Centre today.
Ruziah added that the main goal of Malaysia Techlympics is to cultivate a holistic STI culture through experiential learning methods, hands-on activities and competitions that are interactive and inclusive across all age groups, genders and backgrounds.
“The ministry focuses on discovering talent and sparking innovation among students, from school level to higher education institutions, who show potential in cutting-edge and high-impact technology fields,” she added.
On another note, she stated the Sarawak Zone level of the Malaysia Techlympics, held over the course of one day, brought together more than 1,300 participants and 77 schools from across the state of Sarawak, demonstrating a truly commendable level of participation.
“In line with the principle of inclusivity, Malaysia Techlympics has also implemented outreach programs to ensure greater access to STEM education, particularly in rural areas,” she said.
The programme has successfully engaged a substantial number of participants from the Sarawak Zone, with over 2,500 students and 89 teachers benefiting from diverse training initiatives.
The inclusion of both physical and online Training of Trainers (ToT) sessions highlights the programme’s adaptability and commitment to accessible, comprehensive capacity building.
