20/10/2026

TUESDAY | OCT 20, 2026

12

EDUCATION NEWS

Petrosains initiative to empower indigenous pupils

Love for mother drives graduate to rector’s award KEMAMAN: Caring for her mother, who is undergoing dialysis treatment, did not stop Nur Fathiah Hanani Suhaibi, 21, from excelling in her Diploma in Early Childhood Education and earning the Rector’s Award at UC TATI’s 26th convocation ceremony here. Her achievement marked a milestone for the Kuala Terengganu native, who was raised single-handedly by her mother following her parents’ divorce when she was just two years old. “Honestly, I never imagined receiving the Rector’s Award, especially as I was only pursuing a diploma in early childhood education. My main focus was simply to complete my studies and secure a better future for myself. “I once considered continuing my studies elsewhere, but my love for my mother made me choose UC TATI so that I could stay close to her. Now that I have continued my degree studies in the same field, I can still make time to care for her,” she said. The youngest of four siblings aspires to establish her own childcare business. Nur Fathiah was also involved in college activities and volunteered with NGOs in Kuala Terengganu, strengthening her credentials. After completing her diploma with a cumulative GPA of 3.96, she continued her studies at degree level in the same field at a higher learning institution in Kuala Terengganu. UC TATI is a state-owned higher education institution. Nur Fathiah received the award from vice-chancellor Datuk Ir Kamaluddin Abd Rashid, accompanied by rector Prof Ir Dr Hairul Azhar Abdul Rashid. Nur Fathiah Hanani Suhaibi (left) with her siblings and mother, Noryati Mohamed, who uses a wheelchair, at UC Tati’s convocation ceremony.

o Competition focuses on robotics, coding, computational thinking and emerging technologies such as AI.

KUALA LUMPUR: Petrosains, the social impact arm of Petronas in education, recently concluded its latest undertaking to expand access to quality STEM learning among schoolchildren. Now in its third consecutive year, the Petrosains Tech4All 2026 National Level Competition has evolved into a sustainable platform that empowers Orang Asli and native students, teachers and communities. The initiative is focussed on robotics, coding, computational thinking and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI). Through a combination of educator development, hands-on learning and innovation-based challenges, the programme continues to bridge educational gaps while nurturing future-ready talent across Malaysia. The competition this year was organised on Oct 12 in collaboration with the Education Ministry’s Daily School Management Division, with the

By identifying and categorising waste such as cans, plastic and paper, the project also encourages students to better understand and practise environmental sustainability. “We created SORT because we wanted to help Aunty Siti, our school cleaner, sort waste more easily and save time,” said student Agustus Antonio Galvin, 12, who dreams of becoming an architect. “Using AI and Teachable Machine, our system can scan waste such as cans, plastic and paper, identify its category, and determine which bin should be opened.” Teacher Hanson Teo Kim Guan said this was the first time the school’s pupils had participated in Petrosains Tech4All. “Their project combines Arduino coding with AI, using a camera to recognise different types of waste such as paper, plastic and cans, before automatically opening the appropriate bin.” The first runner-up was from SK Punan, Johor and second runner up from SK Telanok, Pahang. SK Runchang, Pahang emerged in fourth position while SK Padang, Sabah, was in fifth. They all received cash prizes, along with certificates and exclusive Petrosains merchandise. A key milestone of Petrosains Tech4All 2026 was the implementation of its educator centric model through the Petrosains Tech4All Teachers’ Bootcamp, held from July 10 to 12 in Kuala Lumpur. The programme brought together 56 teachers from 28 primary schools across Malaysia, equipping them with the knowledge, tools and confidence to deliver impactful STEM, robotics and AI-enhanced learning experiences for Orang Asli and indigenous students in their respective communities.

challenges,” he said. “This programme is also proof of what can be achieved when industry, education institutions and communities come together with a shared purpose.” Over two days participants presented their projects and innovations to a panel of judges, showcasing their creativity, technical competencies and problem-solving abilities. Among the standout innovations was the championship-winning one by students from SMK Long Bedian (K11) in Sarawak with their project called Smart Object Recycling Technology (SORT), an AI-powered waste sorting system created to make waste separation easier and more efficient for the school cleaner.

support of OPITO and Hibiscus Petroleum, at Petrosains, The Discovery Centre here. It brought together 20 teachers and 40 students from Johor, Kelantan, Pahang, Selangor, Sabah and Sarawak, representing 10 schools from the indigenous communities. Petrosains Sdn Bhd CEO Ezarisma Azni Mohamad said participants were challenged not only to build technological solutions, but also to understand real-world problems, think critically, collaborate effectively and develop innovative ideas that can benefit their communities. “The future belongs to those who can harness technology responsibly, creatively and meaningfully to solve real

The five winning teams celebrate their achievements on stage.

WOU, JMTI partner to upskill Malaysia’s technical workforce GEORGE TOWN: Wawasan Open University (WOU) and the Japan Malaysia Technical Institute (JMTI) recently signed a three-year “With only a few years left before then, there is little time to lose. We need to accelerate talent

Banking & Finance Yap highlighted the urgency of talent development as Malaysia works towards the National Semiconductor Strategy’s target of training and upskilling 60,000 engineers by 2030. technology and related fields. It includes delivery of short courses, career development programmes, and exchange of expertise through curriculum development, research, publications and knowledge sharing. WOU will provide tuition fee rebates for JMTI staff and alumni enrolling in specified bachelor’s degree programmes. The memorandum was signed at WOU’s main campus here on October 14 by its chief executive and vice chancellor Prof Ts Dr Yap Eng Hwa, and JMTI director Ts Zulkifle Omar.

development, alongside investment in the technology and infrastructure that support industrial growth.” Zulkifle said the partnership would help JMTI staff and alumni strengthen their capabilities as technology and workplace requirements evolve. “This cooperation gives our people opportunities to build on their experience through formal academic qualifications. Further study can enrich our instructors’ teaching and strengthen the professional capabilities of our management and operations personnel, while helping our alumni progress in their careers,” he said.

memorandum of cooperation to widen access to higher education and upskilling for JMTI staff and alumni, helping to strengthen Malaysia’s technical workforce. JMTI is a government technical training institution under the Human Resources Ministry. The academia government cooperation aims to accelerate upskilling, meet workforce demand and strengthen competitiveness in the job market. Under the agreement, JMTI staff and alumni will have opportunities to pursue bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral qualifications in designated

Yap and Zulkifle hold the signed memorandum. With them are JMTI deputy director (Operations) Roshaniza Md Hashim (left) and WOU deputy vice chancellor (Academic) Assoc. Prof Ts Dr Sean Tan.

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