“This is the best experiment of the year!” exclaimed a boy during the recent Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Week at SK Sri Aman in Penang, moments after he successfully extracted strawberry DNA.
His excitement filled the room. For him, it wasn’t just a school experiment; it was the moment science became real, something he could touch and understand.
That scene brought to mind a story shared by my colleague, Prof Dr Badrul Hisham Yahaya.
As a boy, he too had taken part in a DNA extraction activity just like the one we conducted. That memory stayed with him for decades, sparking a fascination with science that eventually grew into a distinguished career. Today, he is a scientist recognised both nationally and internationally.
His story is a reminder that science does not begin in a laboratory or a textbook. It begins with curiosity – the joy of doing, discovering and understanding.
Every child deserves that chance to see, to question and to experiment. When curiosity is nurtured early, it builds more than knowledge; it builds confidence, imagination and belief in what is possible.
But beyond those individual sparks lies a harder question: how do we sustain them? How do we ensure that the excitement of that first strawberry DNA experiment does not fade into disinterest, or worse, discouragement?
From telling to showing
One perennial issue in our STEM journey lies in the quality of teaching and methodology. According to a 2023 study by the Academy of Sciences Malaysia, nearly half of our science teachers do not hold a bachelor’s degree in a science field, and opportunities for professional development remain limited.
This gap matters because the way science is taught determines whether students experience it as discovery or drudgery. Too often, classrooms remain teacher-centred and textbook-heavy, focused on memorisation rather than exploration.
To cultivate true scientific literacy, teaching must evolve from “telling” to “showing”. Children should be encouraged to design, test and question, to learn not only what the answer is but how we arrive at it.
Infrastructure and access
Even the most passionate teachers, however, cannot succeed without proper tools. Nationwide, disparities in infrastructure, especially between urban and rural schools, continue to undermine effective learning.
When science is confined to theory because a school lacks microscopes or reliable WiFi, students lose out on the most powerful form of learning: doing. Innovation cannot thrive in an environment where curiosity has no outlet.
Talent gap and brain drain
The ripple effects of weak early exposure extend far beyond the classroom. Malaysia faces a workforce talent gap, a mismatch between academic output and industry needs, made worse by issues like high dropout rates in engineering programmes, a growing shortage of skilled professionals, and the ongoing brain drain challenge.
Talented Malaysians continue to leave for opportunities abroad, citing limited career progression, weak research infrastructure, and a lack of talent recognition at home.
All these issues point to a single truth: building Malaysia’s STEM future requires more than producing graduates. It demands an ecosystem that connects quality education, meaningful employment, and national recognition of scientific talent.
Long-term effort
Fixing Malaysia’s STEM future requires more than isolated programmes or short-term campaigns.
It calls for a consistent, long-term effort to address the underlying issues that have persisted for years, from teacher quality and training to infrastructure gaps and talent retention.
These challenges are interconnected, and solving one without the others will only offer temporary relief.
First, professional development for teachers must be made a national priority, not an optional exercise. Equipping educators with the right skills, confidence and resources is fundamental to nurturing a generation that can think critically and creatively.
Second, schools, especially those in rural and underprivileged areas, must be given proper laboratories, functional Internet access and hands-on materials that make science tangible. Without equal access to tools of discovery, the STEM dream remains unevenly distributed.
Finally, education must be linked more intentionally to the workforce and innovation ecosystem. When students see clear pathways from classroom learning to real-world careers, they are more likely to stay the course.
Building partnerships between universities, industries and policymakers can ensure that Malaysia’s scientific talent finds opportunity at home, not just abroad.
The boy who held a vial of strawberry DNA in his hands may one day design Malaysia’s next great innovation. But that journey depends on what we do today – how we teach, how we invest, and how we value science as a national priority.
DR ASMIDA ISA
Senior lecturer and researcher
Advanced Medical & Dental Institute,
Sains@Bertam, USM
