Lim Keng Cheng, chairman of SMJK Chong Hwa Kuala Lumpur, said STEM subjects were crucial in fostering economic development.
Meanwhile, Parent Action Group for Education (PAGE) chairman Noor Azimah Rahim said Budget 2025 presents an opportunity for Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to fulfil his pledge to boost English proficiency by strengthening the DLP.
“The global economy is increasingly driven by technology and innovation, so the future workforce should be competent in STEM fields, including artificial intelligence (AI). A strong STEM education system can foster innovation in economic sectors, which will lead to economic growth,” said Lim.
The previous budget allocated RM100 million to maintain and upgrade school computer labs and acquire new equipment for learning STEM subjects, while a cross-ministerial committee was established to boost secondary school students’ participation in STEM fields.
Although the government has yet to achieve its target of increasing science stream students, Lim said teaching STEM subjects in English could help build interest among school students. He said many secondary schools presently teach STEM subjects in Malay, whereas tertiary institutions use English as the medium of instruction.
Lim said “flip-flops” in policy over the medium of instruction for STEM subjects had led to a decline in the number of teachers capable of teaching these subjects effectively in English.
“There is no continuity in the medium of instruction, making STEM subjects difficult for some students.
“There is a growing demand for professionals in STEM fields, and English should be the medium of instruction for STEM subjects and AI education, as a vast amount of knowledge and research materials are written in English,” he said.
Lim also called for teachers to be given comprehensive training to deliver STEM education effectively and inspire students. He said more project-based and problem-solving activities must be introduced to make STEM subjects more engaging and relevant.
Lim also called for STEM concepts to be introduced to primary school students to build interest and familiarity with the subject matter early.
In a speech delivered in June at an event hosted by the American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce (Amcham), the prime minister said the county’s education system would focus on STEM subjects and English proficiency to ensure the next generation of Malaysians are able to compete in the global economy.
He said the government was pushing the DLP as a means to improve proficiency in English since it is the medium of instruction for advanced subjects.
The DLP allows primary and secondary schools to teach science and mathematics in English on the condition that each school has one Year 1 or Form 1 class also teaching the subjects in Malay.
Azimah called for Anwar to earmark a “significant” sum for DLP in Budget 2025.
“Sarawak spent RM18 million of its own state funds to jumpstart DLP, but Putrajaya had no funds to offer to the other states that wanted to do the same,” she said.
The education ministry received RM58.7 billion for this year, the largest allocation handed out under Budget 2024 tabled last year.
The figure topped the sum of RM55.2 billion set aside under Budget 2023, RM52.6 billion for 2022, and RM50.4 billion in 2021.