TEDxKenyalang gets backing from ministry

KUCHING: TEDxKenyalang will receive support from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Research in organising events that can empower Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics ( STEM) education, particularly among youths in Sarawak.

TEDxKenyalang in a statement issued recently said a delegation led by curator Zaiwin Kassim paid a courtesy call on Education, Science and Technological Research Minister Dato Sri Michael Manyin Jawong at the latter’s office on Friday.

Following a discussion with the organising committee, Manyin told them the collaboration will focus on ‘Future and Technology’ so they can explore other possibilities on how to improve the interest among Sarawak’s people, especially youths.

“In the digital economy, we need youths skilled in high-tech and digital marketing, e- commerce and English,” Manyin said.

As such, the statement said the next event ‘ TEDxKenyalang: Outreach the World’ will be a platform for youths to generate greater interest in Science, Technology and Future.

The statement added that this year the ministry will support TEDxKenyalang on a small scale before embarking on a larger scale next year.

Manyin also told them that since TEDxKenyalang is very well connected with other parts of the world, it will be a good opportunity for the educators, especially the youth, to benefit from the event.

This is so that they will be able to hear from the speakers who are experts in the technology fields as part of efforts to increase the number of students taking up STEM to at least 40 per cent by 2030.

TEDxKenyalang’s inaugural event ‘ TEDxKenyalang: Be The Best’ organised by Koperasi Belia Inovatif Sarawak ( Kobis) was successfully held last year.