Enhancing Malaysian human capital from early childhood: A study in the feasibility and integratability of the STEM system in the PERMATA Negara curriculum

Developing the skills of inquiry, exploration, invention, and reflection alongside the interest, and the communicative and collaborative skills among pre- school children may go a long way in enhancing the quality of human capital of a country. In Malaysia STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematic) education for 3-4 year-old children pre-schoolers had been developed to achieve such a goal. This study examined the effects of STEM Education on the skills of inquiry, exploration, invention, and reflection alongside the interest, and the communicative and collaborative skills of Taska PERMATA pre-schoolers. Ten STEM moduleswere developed and verified by expert educators and researchers in STEM Education. A total of 22 teachers and 160 children from 19 taska PERMATA were involved as respondents. The findings showed that all STEM modules developed using the PIL had been effectively implemented with 95% of educators implemented 4 to 5 of the STEM projects provided. There was a significant increase (p 0.001) in the children’s abilities of inquiry, exploration, invention, reflection, interests, and communication and teamwork. Educators also showed a significant improvement in knowledge, understanding, skills and confidence to implement the STEM system. These findings have positive implications for the implementation of STEM in early childhood through integrating it with the existing PERMATA Curriculum , providing the necessary professional training to educators, and formulating relevant funding policies involving both private sectors and the GLCs.