FOLLOWING the successful implementation of the Experience AI programme for secondary schoolteachers last year, Penang Science Cluster (PSC) has expanded the initiative this year to include training for primary schoolteachers.
PSC chief operating officer Aimy Lee said that, in response to high demand from various state Education Departments, PSC was more than willing to provide training to help broaden AI literacy education in Malaysia.
“Under the Experience AI programme, our original target for 2024 was to train 1,000 secondary school teachers, who would in turn teach 10,000 students. But we surpassed expectations by training 1,038 teachers, who delivered the programme to 22,791 students.
“In 2025, our target was to train an additional 600 teachers to reach 6,000 students. Once again, we exceeded this figure by training 752 teachers,” Lee told Buletin Mutiara during a recent interview at the Penang Science Cluster office in Wisma Yeap Chor Ee, China Street Ghaut.
Developed by the Raspberry Pi Foundation and Google DeepMind, the Experience AI programme is a free educational initiative focused on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), designed for teachers and students aged 11 to 14. It introduces basic concepts about what AI is and what it can do.
Lee expressed her appreciation to both the Raspberry Pi Foundation and Google DeepMind for providing total funding of £113,895 (approximately RM650,000) for the 2024 and 2025 programme.
She also thanked the Broadcom Foundation, a long-time supporter of PSC’s Coolest Projects Malaysia since 2020, for stepping in to continue supporting the Experience AI programme for another three years, from 2026 to 2028. Broadcom has a significant presence in Penang, with facilities involved in package design, software testing, product engineering, and global supply chain management.
The Experience AI programme, conducted in 2024 and 2025, includes eight modules:
- What is AI
- How computers learn from data
- Bias in, bias out
- Decision trees
- How to solve problems with machine learning models
- Model cards and careers
- Large language models (LLMs)
- Ecosystems and AI – Biology
For 2026, PSC plans to deliver three new modules:
- Your data and AI
- Media literacy in the age of AI
- Using AI tools responsibly
All curriculum modules are available for free download at: https://experience-ai.org/ms/units.
“The original content is in English, but we’ve translated it into Bahasa Malaysia and adapted some of the material to better suit local educators,” Lee explained. “Since most school subjects are taught in Bahasa Malaysia, this helps teachers understand and deliver the content more effectively.”
“AI is progressing very rapidly. That’s why we prioritise training teachers because they are in the best position to reach and educate their students. After all, educators need to understand AI.”
As the facilitator and implementer of the programme, PSC currently has four dedicated instructors who travel to different states across Malaysia to conduct training sessions.
“Teachers who come under PSC’s training come from diverse backgrounds — young and experienced, language teachers, science teachers, and even many religious education teachers. The programme is designed to be accessible to any educator interested in AI. There are no barriers,” Lee said.
Broadcom Foundation president Paula Golden, who recently led a delegation to pay a courtesy call on Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, commended PSC for its impactful grassroots approach in promoting STEM and AI education.
Golden said the foundation’s involvement is closely tied to the Raspberry Pi computers, which are powered by Broadcom chips and have become widely used tools for developing computational thinking skills.
“For the past five years, we’ve partnered with PSC as the sole sponsors of Coolest Projects Malaysia,” she said.
“Raspberry Pi contains a Broadcom chip designed by our engineers. Through our collaboration with the Raspberry Pi Foundation in the UK, we help develop free online resources for underserved children.”
She also assured Chief Minister Chow that the Broadcom Foundation is committed to deepening its partnership with PSC, as AI represents a crucial future skillset for both students and teachers.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Alissala Thian and courtesy of Penang Science Cluster