Kuala lumpur: Student enrolment in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) exceeded 50 per cent last year, highlighting the effectiveness of initiatives to spark interest in the field, said Science, Technology, and Innovation Minister Chang Lih Kang. He noted that student participation in the programmes has been encouraging, including those from rural areas and the Orang Asli community.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Chang mentioned that while enrolment in the science stream has increased, it remains relatively low compared to demand. He stressed the importance of cultivating interest from an early age to boost the number of students taking up STEM. This statement was made during the launch of the Malaysia Techlympics 2025 for the Northern Zone.

Chang further elaborated that although STEM enrolment rose last year, it is still insufficient to meet the growing demand from the country’s expanding technology-driven investments. Efforts and programmes to spark student interest in science and technology will continue to be intensified to achieve the target of increasing STEM enrolment to 60 per cent.

He cited the Malaysia Techlympics as a successful initiative, consistently drawing an average of nearly 1.4 million participants a year. For 2025, it has already recorded 1.7 million participants, aligning with the MADANI Government’s goal of attracting more young people to pursue STEM. The ministry is also committed to bridging the gap between urban and rural students in accessing STEM opportunities.

In a separate development, Chang addressed the issue of nuclear energy for electricity generation. He stated that the government has yet to decide on its use and will only consider it after 2030. A comprehensive study is currently being conducted by MyPOWER Corporation, an agency under the Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation.