Johor bahru: Less than a year since its launch, the Sekolah Rintis Bangsa Johor (SRBJ) initiative, which incorporates international-standard digital technology in teaching and learning, is already showing significant results, particularly in STEM achievement.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Tasek Utara headmaster Uzaini Abdul Razak shared that the pupils have recently won multiple awards in STEM competitions, highlighting a surge in their performance. 'In just three months, from October to December last year, our students achieved one success after another. The use of iPads and apps like Tinkercard and Canva has really helped them explore creative and innovative ideas,' he stated.

Achievements of the students included a runner-up placement at the Penang International Science Fair's Engineering Design Challenge, a national title in the Primary Special Education Canva Future Cities competition, and first, second, and third places in the 3D Design competition, Your Companion Robot. The school also secured a silver medal and a special award at the International Multimedia, Art and Design Expo (iMADE), a silver medal at the Malaysia Grand Invention Expo (MAGIEX) 2025, and a silver medal plus an honourable mention at the Kancil Science Competition.

Uzaini emphasized that the iPads distributed to 372 Year Four to Year Six pupils are more than just learning tools, describing them as a 'gateway to the digital world' that builds strong foundations in STEM and English. He noted the significant contribution of teachers, many of whom have been trained at Singapore's National Institute of Education (NIE). He added that 85 percent of the school's 58 teachers under 40 are skilled in digital pedagogy.

The headmaster highlighted the impact of younger teachers on students, stating that they not only use tools like Canva and AutoCAD with ease but also turn creative ideas into real projects and competition entries. Uzaini mentioned that iPads and apps like Canva, Padlet, and Quizizz have made teaching and learning more engaging, resulting in over 90 percent attendance.

He acknowledged that Gen Z students prefer visual and interactive learning over traditional methods, and using illustrations, infographics, and audio at SRBJ makes lessons more effective. Although students initially took time to adapt to using gadgets, the availability of high-speed WiFi in every classroom and across the school helped accelerate their adjustment.

A total of 2,500 iPads have been phased out to students and teachers across four SRBJs, including Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Seri Kota Puteri 2, SK Seri Kota Puteri 4 in Pasir Gudang, and SMK Tasek Utara, with access to Apple's learning ecosystem and specialised 'Apple Teacher' training. All four schools were recognized as Apple Distinguished Schools, making Johor the first Malaysian state with fully digital, world-class daily schools.

The SRBJ initiative, a brainchild of the Regent of Johor, Tunku Mahkota Ismail and launched in 2024, rests on four pillars: English proficiency, STEM excellence, student marketability, character and assessment competencies. Uzaini reported that SK Tasek Utara, established in 2003 with around 833 students, was fully transformed in a short period from June 1 to Dec 31, 2025, including equipping all 22 classrooms with 85-inch smart boards.

The transformation also added pilot classrooms, an open-air amphitheatre, a resource centre, a design and technology (RBT) workshop, a science lab, and other facilities to support holistic learning. Intensive teacher training included stints at Singapore's NIE and collaborations with Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Teacher Education Institutes and Apple Distinguished Educators.

Uzaini described the selection of SK Tasek Utara, a formerly mid-tier school, as a 'golden opportunity', noting that alongside the STEM gains, basic literacy and numeracy (3M) also improved significantly, with students struggling in these areas dropping from 30 in 2023 to just nine in 2025.

Science and Maths teacher Nur Hidayah Jamil highlighted that early tech exposure can spark lasting student interest in STEM. 'I hope SRBJ can rekindle students' interest in STEM. The use of iPads and smart boards is closely linked to learning in this field,' she said.

Maths teacher Tan Lean Chuen expressed hope that SRBJ will inspire students to pursue STEM careers after the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) exams. SRBJ's rollout cost RM54 million, with RM31.22 million for Phase 1 and RM22.78 million for Phase 2, covering infrastructure upgrades and high-impact education modules.