By: Husnina Zahra Hadri
SERDANG, 18 March – A group of 24 students from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) has demonstrated their role as agents of change by successfully mentoring more than 1,000 students in Sabah through an engaging and high-impact STEM learning approach.
The initiative, titled “Bah, STEM Dulu!”, was organised by the UPM MySTEM Ambassador Club in collaboration with Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS). The students served as key facilitators, delivering knowledge-sharing sessions across Kota Kinabalu and Ranau.
Associate Professor Dr Yap Wing Fen from the Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, UPM, said active student participation in such programmes enhances experiential learning outcomes.
“Students are not only delivering knowledge but also creating enjoyable and meaningful learning experiences that help participants better understand scientific concepts,” he said.
The programme not only sparked interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), but also showcased UPM students’ ability to apply academic knowledge in real-world community settings.
Project Director Muhammad Fathirr Hakimie noted that managing a large-scale community programme provided significant added value to students’ personal development.
“As facilitators, we not only share knowledge but also build essential skills such as leadership, communication and teamwork, which are crucial for the future,” he said.
Throughout the programme, UPM students conducted a variety of creative activities including STEM Dance, STEM Race and STEM Magic, alongside hands-on experiments such as Magnetic Crane, Balance Engineering, Do’oh Circuits and Bernoulli experiments, making learning more relatable to students’ daily lives.
The student-led initiative also expanded its social impact through community engagement, including a gotong-royong effort to clean Surau Kampung Luanti, reflecting a balance between academic excellence and social responsibility.
Rohani Ramlee, principal of SMK Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu, described the approach introduced by UPM students as both creative and effective in capturing students’ interest in STEM.
“This programme brings great benefits to students. Its creative approach not only enhances interest in STEM but also makes learning more enjoyable and inspires students to explore their potential in science and technology,” she said.
