SHAH ALAM: Malaysia has crossed the halfway mark in science and technical stream enrolment but remains short of its 60% target set nearly six decades ago, with only about 15.8% of students pursuing pure science.
To close the gap, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the annual National Science Challenge (NSC) should be transformed into a year-round talent pipeline, rather than a competition, to ensure promising students continue developing their skills beyond the event.
Citing Education Ministry data, Anwar said STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) enrolment had increased from 40.95% in 2021 to 50.83% in 2024, while participation in pure science remained at about 15.8%.
He described the increase as encouraging but said it highlighted a gap between students’ interest in STEM and their readiness to pursue the fields in greater depth.
“Our task is not merely to encourage more students to choose STEM. We must ensure they persevere, grow and succeed in the field,” he said in his speech, read by Science, Technology and Innovation (Mosti) Minister Datuk Chang Lih Kang, at the NSC 2026 grand final yesterday.
The 60:40 policy, introduced in 1967, aims for 60% of upper- secondary students to be in science and technical streams, and 40% in the arts.
Anwar said Malaysia faced pressing challenges involving food and water security, energy supply, public health, climate change, and the responsible use of artificial intelligence, all of which required strong scientific knowledge and evidence-based decision-making.
He said the country could no longer rely on technology developed by others.
“We must become a nation that creates, owns and masters technology.”
Anwar called on Mosti and the Academy of Sciences Malaysia, together with the Education Ministry and other partners, to turn the NSC into a continuous pathway for nurturing young talent.
He said students with potential, particularly those from rural areas, Sabah and Sarawak, and low-income families, should remain connected to mentors, laboratories, scholarships and innovation networks.
Teachers, he added, were crucial to keeping students in science by sparking curiosity and building confidence, rather than merely delivering knowledge.
Themed “Strengthening Science Foundations for a Resilient and Inclusive Future”, NSC 2026 also highlighted the need for scientific progress to be accompanied by humane values.
Anwar said innovation without integrity could be dangerous.
“The NSC should not end when the trophy is handed out.
“I want the talent identified through platforms like this to keep being developed and given a path to go further,” he added.
