ISBMC'26 gathers 393 participants from four countries

KUCHING, 6 Oct: The International Sarawak Bridge and Mapping Challenge 2026 (ISBMC'26) successfully brought together 393 participants from 131 groups from Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and the United States, thereby expanding STEM and TVET education mastery among younger generations.

The programme organised by the Kuching Sarawak Polytechnic (PKS) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development of Sarawak (MEITD), Land Surveyors Board of Sarawak (LSBS) as well as the Kuching Polytechnic Alumni Association also provided practical exposure in the field of engineering and thematic mapping.

Director of International Programs in Sarawak, Azlan Mohd Ali said that for the Build & Bend Challenge Category A (IPT), LSC Mania team from SME emerged champion, followed by Structural Synergy from SME in second place and LoadHouse from Swinburne University of Technology in third place.

"For Category B (High Schools), EQA Enterprise Corporation from SMK St. Teresa was crowned champion, while the Lightweight Bridge from Sri Matang High School and The Busy Beavers from Bau High School took second and third place respectively.

"Category C (Schools) saw Flying Kenyalang from Chung Hua No.6 SJK emerge as champion, in addition to receiving the Best in Creativity & Buildability award. Trinova from SK(A) Datuk Haji Abdul Kadir Hassan is in second place, while NextGen Engineers is third", he said.

He said that in the Creative Mapping Challenge Category A (IPT), Kantan Society from SME emerged as champion, followed by The Holy Trinity from SME in second place and SKK Trio from Polytechnic Tuanku Sultan Bahiyah in third place.

"For Category B (High School), Sarawak GP from the Sarawak Foundation International Secondary School Petra Jaya was crowned as champion, while Eureka Explorers from Datu Patgi Brothers College Haji Abdillah and Terra Teresian from SMK St. Teresa came in second and third, respectively", he said.

Sarawak Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development (MEITD), Dato Sri Roland Sagah Wee Inn said that ISBMC'26 is now expanding from an engineering competition to a platform that brings together the ideas, talent and creativity of young generations internationally.

According to him, the program started as a Bridge Model Challenge in SMEs in 2012 before expanding to Sarawak level in 2023 and 2024, before being expanded internationally through ISBMC'26 sponsorship.

"The program is not just a competition, it's an ecosystem of learning that shapes students to think critically, communicate, collaborate, use technology and solve problems creatively.

"The effort is in line with Sarawak's Post COVID-19 Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030, particularly in enhancing STEM education, expanding participation in TVET and generating skilled workforce", he said through the text of a speech read by MEITD Higher Education Division Chief Sharifah Fariah Syed Junaidi at the closing ceremony.

Sarawak targets over 60 per cent of STEM enrolments at upper middle level, over 20 per cent of SPMs attending TVET programmes and the actual marketable rate exceeds 80 per cent for higher education institution graduates and TVET by 2030.-TVS