IN a week’s time, Penang will be hosting the ‘Penang School Maker Fair’, gathering students from more than 50 schools throughout Malaysia.
The fair is initiated by Han Chiang High School (HCHS) and will be featuring three different programmes, namely the Penang Innovator (Junior Penang Innovator & Senior Penang Innovator), commercial exhibition as well as HCHS’s own exhibition and workshops.
The Penang Innovator will see primary and secondary school students competing with each other through their inventions.
The commercial exhibition will feature industry players such as Intel, Mouser, Eclimo and other Industrial 4.0 related associations like Penang Science Cluster, Penang Math Platform, and Kiwanis Center Penang.
On the other hand, Hang Chiang’s very own exhibition will showcase some of the projects done by Han Chiang’s Makers’ Club alongside with the Robotic Club.
The two-day event (June 28 & 29 from 7am – 4pm) will be held at Han Chiang High School and will see the participation of over 5,000 people comprising both students and parents.
“The fair aims to provide a platform for schools to showcase their latest and extraordinary STEAM ( Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) ideas.
“It will also encourage cross school learning and sharing to groom our next generation of engineers and entrepreneurs,” Datok Keramat assemblyman Jagdeep Singh Deo told a press conference today.
Jagdeep, who is also the state Local Government, Housing, Town and Country Planning Committee chairman, welcomed all schools to emulate Han Chiang to turn their existing libraries into digital libraries.
“Digital libraries are getting good response, so come collaborate with us and use our information to transform the existing school libraries into digital ones,” he added.
Apart from that, Jagdeep shared that recently the Penang Island City Council (MBPP) had launched the ‘MarkerSpace’ – an initiative to transform the small town of Balik Pulau into an education hub for STEAM-based programmes.
HCHS Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) chairman Ngoo Seong Boon, who was also present, thanked the state government for supporting their STEAM initiative and helping to realise the school’s dream of holding the fair.
“YB Jagdeep has been a great supporter to all our STEAM initiatives, especially with regard to our Makers Club.
“We invite the public to come and be part of this event,” Ngoo said.
Story by Tanushalini Moroter
Pix by Alissala Thian