Kapit NGO teams up with S’pore volunteers to promote STEM

KAPIT (July 9): Local non-governmental organisation (NGO) Lighthouse of Hope Kapit recently engaged with Singapore’s Institute of Technical Education (ITE) College and Asian Journeys Ltd in a programme meant to inculcate in local schoolchildren the interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects.

According to Lighthouse of Hope Kapit chief executive officer Dr Lee Chee San, the promotion of STEM was done by incorporating them into the school’s Dual Language Programme (DLP) involving English and Bahasa Malaysia.

The Singaporean volunteers, co-led by ITE College East principal Dr Yek Tiew Ming and Asian Journeys founder-director Lawrence Ko, visited SMK Selirik, SMK Kapit, SMK Kapit 2, SK Lepong Baleh and SK Methodist here, where they conducted activities meant to encourage the children to learn more about STEM and also for them to master English in public speaking.

Jacinta Bandit, the supervisor of SMK Selirik’s DLP STEM, said there were 304 students from Form 1 up to Form 5 who had enrolled in the programme.

“In our school, altogether 17 teachers are involved in STEM. We would like to thank the volunteers for visiting our school and help our students. All of us have really benefitted from the sharing-sessions,” said Jacinta.

At SK Methodist, Asian Journeys supplied the primary school with a set of hydroponics equipment and facilities worth over RM2,000, meant to encourage both the teachers and the pupils to undertake planting of vegetables through this method.

The visitors also held exhibition on solar energy at the school.

“The ITE welcomes overseas students, especially those across Asia, and expose to them technical education available in Singapore. The aim is to train skilled professionals in the fields of computers, process engineering, electrical devices and appliances, air-conditioning and health sciences.

“While the institute often sends Singapore students overseas, it also welcomes those from other Asian countries to come to Singapore and undertake short-term courses on technology, ranging between three and six months in duration,” Dr Yek remarked.

Dr Lee, meanwhile, said Lighthouse of Hope has had helped SK Lepong Baleh set up its own brass band and cover the cost to acquire the musical equipments worth over RM30,000.

“The instructors are volunteers from Kuching, coming here to conduct training for the pupils during the weekends,” he said.