18-06-2025
Over 300 students visit STEM Catalysts Raspberry Pi 2025 tour in Betong
Rentap (left) listens to a briefing by a facilitator.
KUCHING (June 18): More than 300 students, mainly from Primary 5, Primary 6, and Form 1, have visited the STEM Catalysts Raspberry Pi 2025 tour in Betong, said Sarawak Skills.
In a press release today, Sarawak Skills said Betong was the seventh out of 18 stops for the statewide tour.
STEM Catalysts is a touring science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) carnival organised by the Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development to spur pupils' interests in STEM, particularly those from rural primary schools.
The 2025 edition features the use of coding and Raspberry Pi to make use of STEM knowledge, including the use of Raspberry Pi to control hydraulic systems to lift very heavy objects guided by Pascal's Law.
Youth, Sport and Entrepreneur Development Deputy Minister Datuk Gerald Rentap Jabu, who is Layar assemblyman, officially opened the event at the Betong District Education Office yesterday.
He said STEM awareness and interests must be inculcated in students as early as possible to get them ready for the technology driven and competitive world.
'Therefore, I hope events such as STEM Catalysts can be carried out more frequently and with participation from parents and the public. We need everyone's participation to nurture our young ones,' he said.
Students observe one of the STEM exhibits.
STEM Catalysts is one of the many initiatives coordinated by the Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development to achieve the target of increasing STEM enrolment in Sarawak from 30 per cent to 60 per cent, to produce enough talents for the state.
The event involved staff and students from Sarawak Skills and University of Technology Sarawak, as well as STEM communicators from the Sarawak Science Centre.
Persatuan Kebajikan Rolf Schnyder, a philanthropic organisation which provides education support to children, also organised a mini coding competition.
The tour will move on to Lubok Antu and Simunjan, followed by Kanowit, Song, and Kapit next week.
It is expected to cover 100 schools by the end of the month. Betong Gerald Rentap Jabu lead STEM Catalysts Raspberry Pi 2025
