Revamp STEM education, experts urge

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PETALING JAYA: While the 2023 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) Physics, Biology, Chemistry and Additional Mathematics results were better compared than in 2022 and 2021, more needs to be done to promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects, especially with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), academics say.

National STEM Association president and founder Emerita Prof Datuk Dr Noraini Idris said there needs to be more effort to promote STEM in schools and as a career, especially with the rise of AI across all economic sectors.

She also said students should be exposed more to higher order thinking skills (HOTS) questions to improve their understanding, particularly in STEM subjects.

Students who were not able to go to school, let alone do hands-on experiments, during the Covid-19 pandemic should be given extra classes, she added.

"Universities need to conduct additional classes to teach these students laboratory skills, such as what is being done at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu with its 'STEM in Life' subject," said Prof Noraini.

Calling for teaching quality to be improved and adequate laboratory facilities be provided, especially in rural schools, Prof Datuk Dr Ahmad Ibrahim from the UCSI University Tan Sri Omar Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy said there should be more “outdoor-based education” for those without access to proper laboratories.

“We must rethink the way we promote STEM.

“Expose students also to the workplace showing how STEM is deployed in business,” he said.

This year's Physics and Additional Mathematics’ results dropped compared with 2017, while Biology and Chemistry saw marginal improvements in average grade.

Additional Mathematics saw the worst performance over the seven-year period (0.16 increase in GPMP). This was followed by Physics, with a 0.06 increase in average grade.

Biology recorded a 0.01 improvement in average grade, and Chemistry a 0.02 increase. A lower number denotes a better score.

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The SPM assessment format, named the Standard Secondary School Curriculum (KSSM), was revised in 2021 after it was implemented in 2017.

Previously, the Integrated Secondary School Curriculum (KBSM) was adopted from 2014 to 2016.

The Education Ministry, however, stressed that the SPM results from 2017 to 2020 cannot be compared with those of 2021 to 2023 because different curriculum and assessment formats were used for the two candidate cohorts.

“Aspects that have changed in the curriculum involve content and arrangement,” said the ministry.

Meanwhile, Prof Ahmad said Malaysia risks losing out economically if the country lacks STEM talent.

“The future is gloomy if the country starts losing talent in the STEM field as the business world is increasingly turning to science,” he added.