MOE, YAYASAN PETRONAS TO EXPAND STEM HUBS UNDER PROGRAM DUTA GURU

PUTRAJAYA, Nov 12 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Education (MOE), in collaboration with Yayasan Petronas, through Program Duta Guru (PDG), plans to establish PDG STEM Hubs in the Northern, Southern, and Sabah Zones.

Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said currently, PDG STEM Hubs have been set up at three Teacher Activity Centres located in Tanjung Karang, Selangor; Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu; and Miri, Sarawak.

“To ensure systemic change can be achieved, PDG also supports expanded access to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) resources through the development of PDG STEM Hubs, providing a conducive learning environment for sharing best practices in STEM education,” she said when officiating the PDG National Symposium 2024 here today.

The PDG STEM Hub is an initiative managed by Yayasan Petronas to provide a space for the teacher community to ensure the STEM curriculum is strengthened and relevant to current needs through the integration of technology and modern teaching aids.

PDG is an initiative by Yayasan Petronas and MOE aimed at empowering the skills of 4,500 STEM teachers by 2030.

In her speech, Fadhlina said each teacher participating in PDG would also receive a STEM Kit package, including an Arduino set and a 3D Pen, to support efforts in advancing STEM learning in schools.

Additionally, she said, each participant who had completed the PDG training was also given the opportunity to apply for the Duta Guru Fund of up to RM20,000 to implement STEM-related projects with the community in their schools or districts.

She said last year, 13 participants from across Malaysia received this funding, and for the second cycle in 2024, applications from 28 participants had been approved.

“Moreover, I would like to announce that through the Duta Guru Fund, 14 of the 28 schools across Malaysia approved for funding are for the development of Student Innovation Centres.

“This initiative aims to enhance students’ interest and proficiency in STEM and Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS), along with fostering leadership and confidence among students regardless of their socio-economic status and background,” she said.

Meanwhile, Yayasan Petronas, in a statement, said the two-day PDG National Symposium 2024, which began today, gathered over 1,000 teachers, education officers, and policymakers to discuss the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in education.

It said the PDG National Symposium served as a collaborative platform to bring educators together to exchange ideas, share best practices, build lasting networks, and encourage teachers to implement STEM projects that engage students in their exploration of STEM.

-- BERNAMA