Sarawak deputy premier urges students to ace STEM subjects for better job opportunity in future
BETONG, July 8 — Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah last night asked rural students to take up science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects that will give them better employment opportunities.
He said state-owned Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (Petros), for example, will be offering thousands of job opportunities in the state for those who graduated with technical qualifications.
He said he had a conversation with Petros chief executive officer Janin Girie a few days ago about jobs that will be available at the oil company.
“He told me that Petros is going to need between 20,000 to 30,000 technicians by 2030,” he said when officiating at the opening of Sekolah Kebangsaan Nanga Gayau’s 61st-anniversary celebration and the RM7 million new school blocks in Spaoh, near here.
Uggah, who is also the minister of infrastructure and port development, said rural students should not dismiss STEM subjects as something very difficult to learn.
He asked teachers at the primary school level to take extra efforts to motivate their students to like STEM subjects and to opt for the science stream.
He later handed over a grant of RM100,000 to upgrade the school facilities and teaching aids, RM10,000 to buy new books for the school library and another RM10,000 for the school’s Parent-Teacher’s Association, to the headmaster Stanley Matjew Kalong.
Among those present at the function were Betong Member of Parliament Dr Richard Rapu, Betong Division’s Resident Richard Abunawas and District Officer Alfred Galing.
