According to several experts, Malaysia must start teaching STEM subjects in schools as early as possible to address the critical shortage of engineers and high-skilled labour in the country.
Mas Sahidayana, the director of the University of Malaya’s (UM) STEM Centre, emphasised that STEM skills need to be nurtured from preschool with the cooperation of parents, teachers, the government and learning institutions, or else Malaysia risks suffering from these labour shortages down the road.
She said despite the efforts of various stakeholders, enrolment rates for secondary Form 4 students in STEM A and B streams remain alarmingly low.
In 2023, only 16.64% (about 61,333 students) enrolled in the STEM A package, and just 5.43% (about 20,014 students) chose the STEM B package.
This has led to a significant imbalance in higher education applications, with twice as many students opting for arts over sciences.
Meanwhile, there are at least 138 higher education programmes offered by the Ministry of Higher Education that require SPM leavers to come from a STEM A background (122 out of 138 can accept SPM leavers from the STEM B package) and many more polytechnic and other programmes that also require STEM A or B backgrounds.
“This has forced higher institutions to accept students with STEM C backgrounds to fulfil their enrolment needs,” Mas told Malay Mail.
Malaysian Association of Engineers president Datuk Ts Feroz Hanif Mohamed Ahmad said even among those who enrol in engineering programmes, the dropout rate can be high due to the rigorous nature of the coursework.
The ageing workforce in engineering, coupled with rapid technological advancements and industry-specific demand in sectors like tech and renewable energy, is causing a skills gap.
This shortage leads to delayed projects, increased costs, and higher wages. Consequently, it can hinder economic growth and lead to outsourcing or offshoring of engineering tasks, potentially resulting in domestic job losses and quality control challenges.
“Addressing these challenges requires a concerted effort by educational institutions, industries, and governments to enhance STEM education, provide continuous professional development, and create attractive working conditions for engineers,” Datuk Feroz said.
“Other factors contributing to brain drain include limited career growth opportunities, insufficient industry infrastructure, political instability, restrictive policies, and a perceived lack of talent recognition.”
“Moreover, some individuals seek better quality of life, work-life balance, and access to superior education and healthcare systems abroad. Addressing these issues involves training and retaining skilled STEM teachers to provide quality education and encourage student interest in these fields,” he said.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has been urging all parties, especially the Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE), to address Malaysia’s significant shortage of engineering experts, which he noted has reached 30,000.
This call to action comes as the nation increasingly adopts artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance efficiency and improve living standards.
Malaysia’s employment market is undergoing dramatic changes due to several variables that will redefine how the country works, with banking, healthcare, engineering and IT, digital marketing and management experts among the top jobs that will be available in the near future.
