KUCHING – Fifty-eight teachers from primary schools in and around Kuching were presented with a certificate of completion after completing Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus’ Raspberry Pi computer project training recently. The ceremony was attended by YB Datuk Roland Sagah Wee Inn, Minister for Education, Innovation and Talent Development (MEITD), who also presented the certificates.
The Raspberry Pi training program is organised by MEITD to train more than 1,260 teachers across the state with the knowledge of using Raspberry Pi and to engage and enhance student learning in computer programming and coding.
YB Datuk Roland being briefed on how Raspberry Pi works by senior lecturer Ir Dr Hudyjaya Siswoyo Jo. Looking on are Prof Lau Hieng Ho and YB Datuk Francis Harden Hollis.
In his speech, YB Datuk Roland shared that the program hopes to allow teachers to learn the basics of using Pi and to explore ways to teach coding to students to develop apps, and games and solve real-world problems.
“We hope that in the long term, the knowledge our teachers gained through this training will cascade to their colleagues and eventually scaled up to our students,” he said.
Professor Lau Hieng Ho, Pro-Vice Chancellor and CEO of Swinburne Sarawak, in his welcome speech, praised the ministry for the initiative in fostering innovation and digital skills among youths through the use of Raspberry Pi. “The training program is an excellent initiative by the Sarawak government to ensure that our learners are future-ready and equipped to meet the needs of industry 4.0.”
According to Prof Lau, from young, children should be given the opportunity and be exposed to ICT and computing while teachers need to be well-versed and proficient in imparting ICT skills and knowledge to them.
“Swinburne Sarawak is proud and committed to supporting the Sarawak government and MEITD with its many initiatives such as the Raspberry Pi training and the Study Sarawak initiative,” he concluded.
“Raspberry Pi’s primary use is for students to learn coding, with the computer itself having other secondary functions such as operating as a normal PC using a Linux operating system. We hope to provide forward-thinking solutions today to address the needs of the state’s workforce tomorrow through this and many other initiatives” said Professor Wallace Wong, Chief Executive, Swinburne Innovation Malaysia (SWIM) Sdn Bhd. SWIM is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Swinburne Sarawak, working closely with industry and partners to maximise the impact of innovation and technology within the community.
In line with its objective of promoting STEM and ICT education to students in Sarawak, MEITD has provided over 9,000 units of Raspberry Pi sets to primary schools all over Sarawak.
By year-end, the program will be offered to 30 education districts statewide. This will involve 1,265 teachers who will receive two levels of basic training. Over the next three years, the program will be delivered across Sarawak in collaboration with various higher education institutions in Sibu, Bintulu and Miri, as well as district education departments.
Other guests in attendance were Datuk Francis Harden Hollis, Deputy Minister of MEITD, Datu Kameri Haji Affandi, Permanent Secretary for MEITD, and Dato Jonathan Chai, President of the Association of the Boards of Management of Aided Chinese Primary Schools in Kuching, Samarahan and Serian.