Johor teachers back to school in Singapore as project to improve Stem teaching in state takes off

SINGAPORE – Johor has ramped up efforts to make the state’s education system more competitive and progressive, with special emphasis on the teaching of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem) and the English language.

Malaysia’s southernmost state officially sent its first batch of 30 educators to Singapore’s National Institute of Education (NIE) for a week-long course from April 7 to 11, under a pilot programme aimed at bolstering Stem education and overall learning in Johor’s schools.

The Bangsa Johor Schools initiative, which was mooted in 2024 by the Regent of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, aims to raise educational standards and support the state’s long-term economic goals. “Bangsa Johor” means the people of Johor in Malay.

The pioneer group, comprising primary and secondary school teachers, university lecturers and state education officials, travelled daily from Johor’s Iskandar Puteri city to NIE for the sessions, marking the first time NIE has hosted a course for Malaysian educators at its Singapore campus near Boon Lay.

Top Johor education official Aznan Tamin announced in February that four government schools in Johor Bahru will take part in the project, which would involve 4,300 students and 212 teachers, and will be reviewed every six months.

“The students from these schools will complete a minimum of 112 hours annually in Stem subjects, nearly double the 64-hour requirement in mainstream schools,” Mr Aznan said, adding that these schools’ facilities such as computer and science labs will be upgraded and equipped with the latest technology.

English proficiency and higher standards of assessments will also be introduced, with the aim of 100 per cent of students progressing to higher education, he said in a separate statement in March.

In 2024, Johor produced almost 500,000 graduates from universities and other institutes of higher learning, industry experts say.

But it also faces