The 2017 MGA Energy Efficiency Program (EEP) for secondary schools kicked off at SMK Puteri Titiwangsa on July 18th. The EEP is an interactive, hands-on and fun approach to science education with the objective of:

• Raising the awareness among students on Malaysia’ energy resources and electricity generation
• Educating students on the importance of conserving energy and on the practical ways they could utilize energy responsibly and efficiently
• Educating students about natural gas, its role in Malaysia, and gas safety

In imparting the knowledge, several innovative 21st century learning approaches were incorporated into the program to maximize the students’ learning and to encourage them to explore and to think creatively. One such example is the implementation of “parking lot” methodology that encourages students to discuss and participate actively in group discussions as opposed to the traditional “chalk and talk” method. Another novel approach that was incorporated is the Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) methodology or famously known in the education community as Kemahiran Berfikir Aras Tinggi (KBAT) where the outcomes are not scripted as the students are encouraged to explore and to think creatively.

The most eagerly awaited segment of the program is the drone workshop. In this hands-on workshop, students assemble sophisticated drones from kits and subsequently test fly them. Besides improving their psychomotor skills, the workshop also provides them with a sense of accomplishment when they successfully fly the drone which they had assembled themselves as well as builds their confidence in tackling technical challenges.

This year’s EEP covers schools in 7 states, namely Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Selangor, Perak, Terengganu, Sabah and Sarawak.

The EEP is a joint collaborative effort with Petrosains, one of Malaysia’s leading science discovery centers that was established to enhance science literacy and instill in Malaysians a passion for acquiring scientific knowledge.

Thanks to the EEP, our students are now soaring upwards and reaching for the sky.