Sagah: Nasa Space Apps Sarawak earns national award, expands to underserved areas

MIRI (Oct 15): Nasa Space Apps Sarawak has earned national recognition for advancing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, especially in rural schools across the state, said Dato Sri Roland Sagah Wee Inn.

The Minister of Education, Innovation, and Talent Development said the project received the JCI Malaysia Sustainable Development Award this year in the SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) Goal 4 Quality Education category.

“Nasa Space Apps Sarawak is one of the many initiatives by my ministry to demonstrate our commitment to fostering young STEM talent in Sarawak.

“It is also one of the many initiatives in which my ministry has invested significantly, and I am proud to share that our efforts have gained national recognition,” he said when closing the Nasa Space Apps Sarawak Hackathon 2024 here last night.

He noted that Nasa Space Apps Sarawak has expanded to new areas such as Kapit, Lawas, Limbang, Lubok Antu, and other underserved communities throughout Sarawak.

He pointed out that education is not solely the responsibility of the government, but a collective effort by various parties and organisations to ensure that the younger generation receives the education and opportunities they need.

He said nurturing talent requires significant investment — financial resources, schools, teachers, parents, and policies.

“I am proud of the team for bringing in additional partners and collaborators this year, particularly the Tegas community learning team, the US Embassy, and JCI Lutong,” he said.

On the hackathon, Sagah said participation in the senior category this year had increased significantly, especially from University of Technology Sarawak (UTS).

As for the junior category, he said three schools sent more than 10 teams each, clearly showing a growing interest in STEM education among students.

“Special recognition goes to SMK Merbau, SMK Methodist, and SM Sains Miri for sending more than three teams.

“In fact, SMK Merbau and SMK Methodist each sent nearly 25 teams. Well done to the school leaders, and I hope you continue to seize these opportunities for the benefit of your students,” he said.

Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC) chief executive officer Datuk Sudarnoto Osman said this year’s hackathon received a variety of submissions, including animations about geomagnetic storms in the Iban language and an augmented reality (AR) mobile application that displays exoplanets, making learning more engaging.

He said these innovative projects not only highlighted the creativity of Sarawak’s young talents but also sharpened their skills in time management, teamwork, and resilience.

“This year, we are proud to have surpassed our goal, with over 5,620 participants from 22 districts in Sarawak, including Lundu, Lubok Antu, Meradong, Kapit, Tatau, Lawas, and Limbang.

“We also conducted 20 workshops and held 52 roadshow sessions, engaging a wide range of students, educators, and communities across Sarawak,” he said.

For the senior category, Astrobyte from Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak emerged champion and received RM7,000.

In second place was Hackers & Moles from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), who received RM4,500, while Supastellar from Unimas finished third to receive RM3,000.

Consolation prizes of RM2,000 each were awarded to The Space Rangers and CosmicNova, both from Unimas.

In the junior category, Stardust Merbau from SMK Merbau finished first and received RM5,000, while The Voyager from SMK Methodist won RM3,000 for finishing second and third placed Orion-5A from SMK Datuk Patinggi Haji Abdul Gapor received RM2,000.

Nebula Navigator from SMK Kapit and Dubai from Woodlands International School Sibu received consolation prizes of RM1,000 each.

Also present was Deputy Minister for Education, Innovation, and Talent Development Datuk Dr Annuar Rapaee.