LAMENTING the lack of interest among Malaysian children to pursue studies in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Deputy Prime Minister cum Education Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin says this translates into a less than skilled workforce. At the current 20 per cent of total students pursuing these academic disciplines, Malaysia is set to not produce the kind of workforce needed to even accommodate the technology extant today. Getting the young interested in these STEM disciplines is key to transforming Malaysia into a high-income nation. The country, therefore, must inculcate a desire for these subjects in at least 60 per cent of its students. During a visit to the International Bureau of Education in Geneva last month, Muhyiddin had said that a series of actionable plans were needed to achieve the target of 500,000 STEM graduates by 2020.
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