By: Dr. Yap Wing Fen
SERDANG - Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) organised Jom Sains Carnival to stimulate and cultivate society’s interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) which have the potential to ensure the future of the young generation as well as the country’s economy.
The programme, an initiative by the Faculty of Science, UPM and the National Professors Council, also involved UPM STEM and several external agencies such as Petrosains, Zoo Negara, Young Scientist Network-Academy of Sciences Malaysia (YSN-ASM) and Malaysia Nature Society (MNS). It managed to attract more than 60 primary and secondary schools from across the country.
The Dean of the Faculty of Science, UPM, Prof. Dr. Mohd Basyaruddin Abdul Rahman, said that the carnival was the best platform for academicians and students to meet with the community and enjoy science. This could stimulate generations of ideas in producing a younger generation who are literate in science and innovative.
"Studies found that students perceive learning science subjects as very difficult and boring, and lack of family support also leads to a decrease in the percentage of students who are interested in and enrol in the science stream.”
"Such a science carnival is necessary to further stimulate and nurture students' interest in STEM. More importantly is the role of parents to work together with their children in exploring science activities that are capable of triggering their interest and driving them to opt for the science stream," he said.
He added that through the carnival, knowledge and new idea enrichment activities as well as the latest pedagogical techniques in science could be imparted to teachers so that the learning and teaching of science in schools would be more interactive and exciting to students.
The carnival was the result of a collaboration between faculty members, namely faculty lecturers headed by a UPM Senior Lecturer, Dr. Yap Wing Fen, and the Faculty of Science Students’ Association (comprising the Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology Student Clubs) led by Mohd Anaz Syazreil. According to Yap, besides the exhibition and activities in the hall, the carnival also offered outdoor challenges based on the concept of science, science video competition, science of communications, Olympiads and interactive activities such as frog dissection and forensics which were based on the concept of physics.
"This programme is also capable of producing students with a high level of awareness of science and responsibility towards the community and the local community," he said.
Mohd Anaz, the Head of the Students’ Association of the Faculty of Science, UPM, said such a volunteer activity could contribute to the community and society through the transfer and transformation of knowledge.
"Through this programme, I have the opportunity to share the knowledge I have learned in UPM to visitors. I can also help students to understand the correct concept of science and thereby, inculcate interest in the subject," he said.
The programme with a theme "Science is Our Future" received an overwhelming response with the number of visitors estimated to be over 6,000. - UPM
