SMK Lawas selected for IP Funtastic Programme
LAWAS: SMK Lawas has been selected for the IP Funtastic Programme under the Ministry of Domestic Trade, Co- operatives and Consumerism.
It is the second school in the state selected for the programme after SMK Lundu.
Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade, Co- operatives and Consumerism Datuk Henry Sum Agong said the programme under MyIPO aimed to encourage youths to innovate and register their intellectual property ( IP).
“This is aimed at cultivating a generation of children who are always thinking and looking for creative solutions to problems,” he said when launching the programme on Sunday.
Henry said IP Funtastic creates a better understanding and awareness of intellectual property rights and protection among students in an interactive and fun way.
Students and teachers are exposed to application design technology and websites through coding.
“These applications and websites would enable students to become digital-savvy students in tandem with the latest technological developments. The modules introduce the foundation, techniques and ideas propagation strategy from the application developed,” he said.
The IP Funtastic programme has so far been launched in five other schools nationwide – SMK Ahmad Pekan, Pahang; SMK Tinusa, Sandakan, Sabah; SMK Bukit Goh, Kuantan, Pahang; SMK Tun Abdul Razak, Bagan Datuk,
This is aimed at cultivating a generation of children who are always thinking and looking for creative solutions to problems.
Perak; and SMK Sungai Bayor, Selama, Perak.
Henry said IP for Youngsters aims to provide opportunities for youths, students and children to develop their own IPs, creations and innovations on a wider platform.
Students can upload their ideas onto this platform and the IPs could potentially be registered with legal advice from MyIPO if the ideas are selected for registration on the IPR Marketplace and qualify to be considered for IP filing funding.
Henry said Lawas has a wide variety of products that can have IPs registered, and pointed out that Ikan Tahai (smoked fish) has already been registered as Geographical Indicator IP unique to Lawas.
Meanwhile, Henry said the government is working to relocate SMK Lawas, which is half a century old, to a new and safer site.
He also announced a grant of RM20,000 for the SMK Lawas parent-teacher association for its activities.
Datuk Henry Sum Agong, Deputy Minister of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism