KOTA SAMARAHAN, SARAWAK – Seven rural schools across Sarawak are set to benefit from enhanced access to digital technology and hands-on STEM learning through the Borneo Makerspace Starter Kit Project, an initiative led by Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) through the Makerspace@UNIMAS team of the Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology (FCSIT).
Funded by the Ministry of Higher Education (KPT) and supported by the Sarawak State Education Department (JPN Sarawak), the project aims to bridge the digital education gap by bringing practical digital making facilities directly to rural and suburban schools.
Through the establishment of dedicated makerspaces, students will have greater opportunities to explore technology, develop digital skills and engage in experiential learning beyond conventional classroom activities.
Bringing Digital Making Tools into Rural Classrooms
At the heart of the initiative is a dedicated Borneo Makerspace setup for each participating school, featuring mobile and secure workbench units designed to support practical learning activities.
Moving beyond traditional computer-based learning, the makerspaces are equipped with a range of digital creation tools, including 3D design and printing equipment, microcontrollers, robotics kits, educational drones and interactive tablets.
These resources enable students to transform ideas into tangible projects through designing, coding, prototyping and hands-on experimentation.
By providing access to these technologies within their own schools, the project seeks to nurture students’ creativity, problem-solving abilities and confidence in applying digital technologies to real-world challenges.
Seven Schools Selected Across Four Districts
The project involves seven schools under four District Education Offices (PPD), extending its reach across several communities in Sarawak. The participating schools are SK Meranek, SMK Sadong Hilir, SMK Sg Tapang and SJK Chung Hua Tambirat under PPD Samarahan, SJK Chung Hua Buntal under PPD Kuching, SMK Siburan under PPD Serian and SMK Sematan under PPD Lundu.
The selection reflects the project’s commitment to expanding access to technology-enabled learning opportunities beyond major urban centres.
Empowering Teachers Through Targeted Training
Recognising that teachers play a central role in sustaining school-based makerspaces, the Makerspace@UNIMAS team is conducting two specialised Train-the-Trainer (TTT) workshops for 20 STEM teachers from the participating schools.
The first workshop, Digital Integration and Software Pedagogy, focuses on developing teachers’ competencies in physical computing, electronics, Internet of Things (IoT) and the application of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in education.
Participants received practical training in micro:bit, circuit logic and prototyping using Arduino Maker UNO, IoT application development with ESP32, and the use of generative AI to support teaching and learning activities.
The second workshop, Creation and Fabrication, is scheduled as a four-day programme focusing on hardware development, physical fabrication and robotics.
It will equip teachers with practical skills in drone technology and navigation, 3D printing and equipment maintenance, 3D computer-aided design and modelling, as well as mBot robotics assembly and programming.
Together, the two workshops are designed to strengthen teachers’ technical knowledge and confidence in integrating makerspace resources into classroom instruction and school-based STEM activities.
Building a Sustainable Digital Innovation Ecosystem
The Borneo Makerspace Starter Kit Project represents a collaborative effort to make digital innovation and STEM education more accessible to students and educators across rural Sarawak.
Through KPT’s funding support, JPN Sarawak’s education network and UNIMAS’s technical expertise, the initiative seeks to establish school-based makerspaces that can support continuous learning, creativity and innovation.
Beyond providing equipment, the project emphasises teacher capacity building to ensure that participating schools can independently utilise and maintain their makerspace facilities.
This approach is expected to create a stronger foundation for sustainable digital learning and encourage more students to explore emerging technologies, develop practical skills and become future innovators.
FCSIT is one of the Premier Digital Tech Institutions endorsed by Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC).
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