SEKOLAH RINTIS BANGSA JOHOR: EARLY INVESTMENT IN NURTURING STEM TALENT

By Nur Fatin Mohmad Kadenen and Hasnah Jusid

The Sekolah Rintis Bangsa Johor (SRBJ) initiative enhances students’ science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills while developing high-skilled human capital. This is the fourth report in a five-part series on SRBJ’s achievements, implementation and future plans.

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JOHOR BAHRU, Jan 28 (Bernama) -- Sekolah Rintis Bangsa Johor (SRBJ) is seen as a ‘laboratory’ and an early investment by the Johor state government in nurturing local STEM talent.

Johor’s Economic and Investment Advisor, Datuk Seri Hasni Mohammad, said engineers, technocrats and accountants are key to attracting high-tech multinationals amid the development of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ).

He said investment in STEM talent must be carried out progressively, citing China as an example, where millions of graduates have strengthened its high-value industrial ecosystem and economic stability.

He noted that, according to What It Takes: Southeast Asia, authored by former Indonesian Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan, Southeast Asia produces around 750,000 STEM graduates annually, compared with 4.5 million in China.

“In countries like China, STEM graduates are a key driver of growth. I am confident that SRBJ is building a strong talent pool in both STEM and English,” he told Bernama.

Hasni, who is also Johor Economic, Tourism and Culture Office (JETCO) executive chairman, said the SRBJ initiative’s focus on English ensures local talent develops strong cognitive, critical thinking and data-driven decision-making skills.

He said this holistic approach is key to developing a generation that thinks critically, resists misinformation and interprets information rationally in a complex environment.

“If we master languages, we can understand better and make decisions more easily…this is also the contributing factor to expanding the intellectual capacity of Johor’s people,” he said.

He added that skilled graduates are vital not just for high-tech industries but also for sustaining Johor’s competitive regional economy.

The Simpang Renggam MP also expressed his intention to follow the state government’s lead by transforming schools in his constituency, especially in rural areas, along the SRBJ model.

He said the plan is still in its early stages, but could involve nearby data centre companies to help strengthen the education ecosystem.

Meanwhile, State Information and Education Committee chairman Aznan Tamin said the SRBJ education ecosystem is holistic and continuous, spanning from early childhood to the workforce.

“Currently, the state government is refining the Tadika Rintis Bangsa Johor programme in strategic partnership with the State Education Department, the Community Development Department and the Johor Education Foundation, which will serve as a feeder system for SRBJ,” he said, adding that the education transformation plan is carefully mapped out to position Johor as a leader in quality education.

“We aim to implement a strategic education plan from early childhood to cultivate an excellent and competitive Bangsa Johor generation by 2031,” he added.

SRBJ, an initiative inspired by the Regent of Johor, Tunku Mahkota Ismail, is implemented in four Johor Bahru schools, namely Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) and Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Tasek Utara, and SMK and SK Seri Kota Puteri 2 and 4, all recognised as Apple Distinguished Schools.

In collaboration with the Johor State Education Department, SRBJ focuses on English proficiency alongside Malay, strengthening STEM skills, character, employability, and competency assessments aligned with international standards and Ministry of Education policies.

Overall, the SRBJ project involves RM54 million, with RM31.22 million for Phase One and RM22.78 million for Phase Two, covering infrastructure upgrades and the implementation of high-impact educational modules.

--BERNAMA