Only 25 per cent of Sabah students in Science stream
KOTA KINABALU: Only 25 per cent of students in Sabah are in the science stream, said state Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Yakub Khan.
He said the small percentage was due to the belief that Science was a difficult subject to study.
“The ministry is actively organising programmes to inculcate the culture of science, technology and innovation (STI)/science, technology, engineering and mathematics
(STEM) through collaborations with the federal and state government agencies.
“It is one of the efforts to ensure the ratio of 60 per cent Science students and 40 per cent in arts stream,” he said at the state assembly here yesterday.
Among the programmes are the Sabah Science Carnival 2021, Sabah International Virtual Innovation and Invention Competition, PitchBorneo 2021, RoboNeo Online 2021 and the Sabah Government Web Competition.
Yakub said with the RM1.5 million development budget under 12th Malaysia Plan, his ministry would develop STI centres in Sabah libraries in phases next year starting with its branch in Keningau.
The ministry will also work with the federal Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry to develop the Sabah branch of the National Science Centre next year.
In collaboration with Petroliam Nasional Berhad, he said, Sabah would also see the building of similar centres for libraries in Sandakan and Tawau.
Yakub said the ministry was focusing on human capital development in science, technology, technical and vocational education and training.
“This year, the ministry offered scholarships to 1,792 people for courses ranging from diploma to doctorate levels.
“The total number of sponsored students (under the ministry) is 5,223, including 30 who studied overseas.”