SMK Pengerang Utama students from Johor were exposed to world-class quality management of refined petroleum products collected from laboratory simulation equipment at the Pengerang Integrated Complex in Kota Tinggi, Johor.
Pengerang Integrated Complex’s STEM education programme paves the future for students
NURTURING young minds towards science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is crucial, as it will equip them with essential skills such as critical thinking, logical reasoning and digital fluency – all of which can be applied across various fields.
To promote the importance and potential of STEM, PETRONAS Refinery and Petrochemicals Corporation Sdn Bhd (PRPC) and Pengerang Terminals (Two) Sdn Bhd (PT2SB) launched a STEM education programme at SMK Pengerang Utama in Johor.
The programme, which supports the Education Ministry’s target of having 60% of upper secondary students enrolled in science stream classes, was launched by State Education, Information and Communication Committee chairman Norliza Noh. Present were PRPC senior vice president and chief executive officer Kamal Bahrin Ahmad and PT2SB chief executive officer Aqeel Hussain.
For some of the SMK Pengerang Utama students, their visit to Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) in Perak marked the first time they ventured out of their hometown in Johor.
A trip to remember
In May 2023, more than 30 Form Four students of SMK Pengerang Utama travelled together to Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) in Perak to take part in one of the programme’s three-day experiential learning activity – STEM Synergy @ UTP – which is aimed at enticing students to pursue STEM-related courses in their tertiary education.
Most of these students have never set foot outside of Pengerang. On the way to UTP they travelled through Kuala Lumpur to circumvent traffic congestion on the North-South Expressway, and they got to view the PETRONAS Twin Towers.
The teachers who accompanied them on the bus recounted seeing the students glued to the windows in excitement, soaking up every single moment and recording their experiences for their social media accounts.
“This was the first time for many of them, going out of Pengerang or even Johor,” said one of the chaperone teachers, Mahadir Md Salleh.
“They’ve never seen tall buildings like the ones in Kuala Lumpur before. Even when we stopped at R&Rs or PETRONAS stations along the way, they stood underneath location signages and took pictures to share with their friends and families.”
The journey took more than eight hours, but the students were in high spirits throughout their activities on the first day. They were just excited at the chance to explore new frontiers, even if they finished later than the schedule.
In Tronoh, Perak, these students were also given the opportunity to experience classrooms, world-class laboratories and student accommodations and thus, see for themselves, the possibilities that lie ahead if they pursued STEM education after their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) exam.
“We could see that many students came out of their shell by the end of the trip,” said Shamsah Baharani Hussein, a representative from the Kota Tinggi district education office.
“Those who were quiet on the first day can now confidently contribute to discussions amongst their teammates and complete the tasks assigned to them.
“I believe that this is because they get to put their lives as SMK Pengerang Utama Form Four students on hold and become something more.”
Johor State Executive Councillor Norlizah Noh visiting a booth at the Kota Tinggi Innovation Carnival after launching the PIC STEM Education Programme at SMK Pengerang Utama.
Long-term holistic approach
“We are committed to preparing the communities in which we operate to become more adaptive and resilient for a just transition by powering knowledge through investments such as this PIC STEM education programme, aligned to the PETRONAS Social Impact Strategy,” said Kamal.
Executed in collaboration with the Kota Tinggi district education office, the five-year programme started in November 2022 and involved lower and upper secondary students. It is estimated that 1,905 pupils will benefit from it through intensive, interactive and experiential learning.
Under the intensive learning component, tuition classes are conducted after school to strengthen SMK Pengerang Utama students across all forms. Teachers are empowered to drive this initiative independently as they see fit.
Similarly, answering technique workshops and STEM excellence camps are also held to help Form Five students prepare for their SPM exams.
Students trying their hand at coding, one of the offerings at Maker Studio in PETROSAINS PlaySmart Johor Baru.
The students attended the Kota Tinggi Innovation Carnival, career talks by both PETRONAS and PT2SB, and visited PETROSAINS PlaySmart Johor Baru as part of the interactive learning component within the programme.
Selected students were invited to visit the Pengerang Integrated Complex (PIC) and Pengerang Deepwater Terminal Two (PDT2) to experience what it is like working in the energy industry right at their doorstep.
This is to shed some light on life after graduating from STEM-related tertiary education that the visit to UTP uncovered. These three visits were a part of the final component, experiential learning.
“In the long run, we also expect this programme to groom our young, impressionable local talents to pursue fulfilling careers in the STEM industry and hopefully come back to serve Pengerang,” said Aqeel.
Volunteers from PIC are committed to executing the programme alongside UTP, PETROSAINS and Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) by sharing their knowledge and contributing their time to this sustainable effort.
