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KOTA KINABALU: Sabah aims to meet its target of getting 42% of its students to take up science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects by 2025 to enable the younger generation to secure jobs in future.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the level of preparedness among the young in terms of career opportunities was among the state government’s priority areas in view of emerging challenges worldwide.
Hajiji said it was projected that by 2027, 69 million new jobs related to STEM will be created.
At the same time, he added, 83 million existing jobs will be phased out.
“Various efforts have been implemented with the objective of raising students’ interests in STEM subjects and subsequently leading them to choose a (related) career path,” he said on Tuesday (Dec 12).
He said these efforts involved collaboration with strategic partners from the state and federal governments as well as domestic and foreign agencies.
“With the best education including mastering science, technology and innovation, we are able to change the people’s quality of life which will ultimately contribute to the success of the country, particularly Sabah,” Hajiji said.
He said this in his speech, delivered by Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, at the opening of the Keningau Science Centre in the interior district of Keningau.
Hajiji added Sabah’s present enrolment rate of students in STEM subjects stood at 28%.
“This is the second lowest in the national ranking,” he said, adding that this enrolment problem was a grassroots issue that needed to be resolved.
“With the momentum of the programmes by the government, and with the support of the community including parents, Sabah is expected to reach the target of 42% enrolment by 2025.
“This effort is in line with the state government’s commitment to providing the best education to the people, especially in relation to STEM, in order to produce quality human capital,” Hajiji said, adding it was also in tandem with the state’s Sabah Maju Jaya (SMJ) development plan.
On the Science Centre, located at the Sabah State Library Keningau Branch, the Chief Minister said it was built at a cost of RM3mil through allocations under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP).
He stressed that it was not merely a building but symbolised the tenacity and creativity in teaching science through an unconventional approach.
“I hope this will spark interest among students and lead them into STEM,” he said.
Hajiji added that the centre was also an effort by the government to provide equal learning opportunities to students and communities in the interior.
“This is to ensure there is no gap between those who live in the city and the interior,” he said.
