DESPITE being a modestly-sized school, SJK(T) Sungai Ara has big dreams, sheer determination, progressive thinking, and high aspirations, proving that even a small institution can achieve great things.
Recently, SJK(T) Sungai Ara was among the 129 schools equipped with a MakerLab, an initiative that has already yielded positive results.
Led by proactive headmaster Vinod Thulukannam and a team of dedicated teachers, the school is seeing notable improvements in student attendance and engagement in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) subjects.
“The MakerLab, set up by the Penang Science Cluster (PSC) in October last year, has sparked our students’ interest in STEM,” Vinod told Buletin Mutiara during a recent interview.
“Since its installation, PSC has been conducting after-school classes in robotics, drones, and Scratch coding, making STEM learning accessible and exciting for our students.
“Since then, we’ve noticed increased student attendance, along with a growing enthusiasm for STEM learning.”
Apart from encouraging students to actively participate in STEM-based activities, the school provides opportunities for teachers to also showcase their expertise.
“Our teachers from the Design and Technology (RBT) Department recently participated in the ‘PesInPro 2.0 – Inovasi STEM Agro’ competition.
“They invented the ‘Aquaphonic with Microcontroller System,’ which earned fourth place.
“We aim not only to inspire our students but also want to unleash the potential of our educators,” he added.
S. Manjula, one of the RBT teachers, said it took them more than two months to complete the project.
“This experience has been invaluable for both students and teachers, as we aim to unleash the potential of all learners in our school,” Manjula said.
Another teacher, M. Kalaivani, shared that the MakerLab is equipped with various tools and resources, including Scratch, microbit, 3D modeling, 3D printing, and more.
Speaking about students’ participation in competitions, Vinod shared that during the previous Penang Science Fair (PSF), for instance, a total of 40 students from SJK(T) were involved in the ‘Basic AC to DC Converter’ project.
“Students underwent two months of workshops conducted by parents and retired lecturers to prepare them for the presentation of their project at the PSF.
“It was a significant achievement for them as they were able to confidently present in English to the visitors,” he said.
Vinod added that the workshop and the school’s booth at the fair were sponsored by Inari Amerton Berhad.
“The students recently participated in the state-level STEM Carnival held at USM, where they qualified for the semi-finals in the Robot Battle and the finals in the Talent Show.
“They also took part in the Water Rocket, Bridge Building, and Innovators for Tomorrow competitions at the carnival.
“Last year, our students won the state-level Inter-Tamil Schools Water Rocket Competition and later participated in the national competition,” he said smilingly.
The school currently has a total of 117 students, including preschoolers. Vinod believes that once the dual learning programme is implemented, the number of students will increase.
“If we receive more financial support, we will be able to enrol our students in more competitions,” Vinod said.
It is also learned that the students secured second place in a state-level AI robotics competition focused on waste management.
The school has also excelled in environmental consciousness, managing a mini farm as part of the SJKT Sungai Ara Agro School Project, launched last year in collaboration with the All-Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia on Sustainable Development Goals (APPGM-SDG).
The produce from this mini farm is sold to the local community and at a nearby market, promoting green initiatives within the school.
As he reflected on the school’s achievements, Vinod expressed a heartfelt desire to ensure that no child is left behind in STEM learning.
He also thanked the school Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) chairman G. Gobinathan and LPS chairman Richard Elias for their efforts and contributions.
Story by Tanushalini Moroter
Pix by Law Suun Ting