By Asmida Isa
STEM education is often associated with modern laboratories, advanced instruments, and costly infrastructure. These facilities are valuable, but equity in STEM cannot wait for them to reach every corner of our education system. The need is even more pressing given the nearly 50 percent decline in science enrollment over the past decade, a trend that threatens Malaysia’s future scientific capacity. Access to meaningful STEM learning should not be defined by postcode or family income. It can, and must, begin now with simple tools and genuine curiosity.
Since 2022, I have involved in STEM outreach through the Emerging Infectious Disease (EID) Research Program at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). Our work has reached more than 2,200 primary school students across Pulau Pinang, Kedah, and Perak. The majority of these children had never held a pipette or looked through a microscope. Yet when given the chance to perform hands-on experiments such as Strawberry DNA Extraction©, their interest in science grew measurably. Surveys showed significant improvement in understanding basic molecular biology, with p-values well below 0.001. This demonstrates that even modest, mobile modules can deliver impact comparable to sessions in formal laboratories.
STEM that travels
The model we use was designed to travel. Instead of waiting for equipment to arrive in schools, we build activities that can be carried in a box,set up in a classroom, and adapted for different age groups. In one project at Sekolah Kebangsaan Kampung Sera in Baling, Kedah, 221 children from four rural schools participated in a half-day outreach program. They extracted DNA, interacted with international postgraduate students, and engaged in science quizzes. Pre- and post-tests revealed statistically significant gains in scientific understanding among students, comparable to results we have observed in city cohorts. This shows that capacity to learn is shaped by opportunity, not location.
Our programs also include creative components, such as building DNA and cell models from upcycled materials. This approach makes science tangible and demonstrates that cost is not a barrier to curiosity. Teachers have reported that students return to class more confident in tackling science topics, and parents have shared how their children explain these experiments at home. In Pulau Pinang, one project involving 70 students was later recognised at ministerial level, with findings also presented to the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MOSTI).
The outreach is not limited to local borders. A module developed in USM was implemented in Medan, Indonesia, by a fellow lecturer. More than 35 children participated, showing the adaptability of simple yet effective STEM materials across cultural and geographical settings. International exposure enriches students’ perspectives, but it also validates that the principles of accessible STEM education are universal.
Measuring equity with evidence
Equity is often discussed as an aspiration, but it must also be evaluated with data. Across our projects, we used survey instruments and statistical analysis to capture changes in both knowledge and interest. At SK Kepala Batas in Seberang Perai, 70 students participated in three interactive sessions as part of the STI1003 program. Surveys revealed a 30 percent increase in understanding and interest in STEM. These results were verified through statistical analysis, with findings presented to ministry officials during a working visit in January 2025.
Since 2022, our outreach has reached over 2,200 schoolchildren in person and another 158 online. By integrating copyright-protected posters and modules, we ensured sustainability and reproducibility of materials. Three community project leaders from the EID Research Group have since adopted these modules to run their own initiatives, extending the reach further. This multiplier effect means equity in STEM is not dependent on one individual or one institution.
Equity also means recognising the social realities of the children we serve. Many of them come from households where science is viewed as abstract or distant. By involving postgraduate students from countries such as China, Nigeria, Ghana, Syria, and Saudi Arabia, we create cultural exchange alongside science engagement. Students not only learn about science; they also meet young scientists who reflect the diversity of the global community. Such encounters broaden aspirations, showing young learners that a career in science is not limited to a privileged few.
STEM education must be positioned as a right, not a reward. It cannot be reserved for schools with the best infrastructure. By carrying modules to schools, by training more facilitators, and by continuing to measure outcomes rigorously, we can prove that equity is achievable.
The future of STEM in Malaysia will be built on curiosity nurtured today. Of course, advanced laboratories will continue to play their role in producing world-class scientists, but the foundation begins with something simpler: a school child’s first moment of wonder when science becomes real. That moment should not depend on where they are born.
Dr Asmida Isa is a senior lecturer and researcher at Institut Perubatan dan Pergigian Termaju (AMDI), Sains@Bertam, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)