USM Brings STEM Within Reach for Balik Pulau Pupils
Drones, earthworms and interactive maths turn a school morning into a shared experience of discovery
BALIK PULAU, 20 October 2026 — Questions about carrying items by drone, feeding earthworms and finding quicker ways to calculate filled a school morning as Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) brought practical STEM learning to SK Tan Sri Awang Had Salleh, Balik Pulau.
Through Code & Fly, Soil Engineers and Maths Mania, pupils explored science, technology, engineering and mathematics with university staff and students, supported by teachers who accompanied them throughout.
Held from 8.00 am to 1.00 pm, the community outreach programme gave pupils opportunities to observe equipment closely, examine living organisms and try different approaches to mathematical problems.
According to the school, most pupils come from lower-income households, including fishing families and families supported by factory work. Delivering the activities at school allowed more children to participate without depending on their families’ ability to access similar programmes elsewhere.
Panitia Sains teacher Noraimiyanti said the opportunity to participate together was an important part of the programme’s value.
“Bringing activities like these into school gives every pupil a chance to try. Even the younger children asked whether a drone could carry things. They were already thinking about how it could be useful,” she said.
Technology Close Enough to Explore
Code & Fly was led by Khairu Anuar bin Mohamed Zain and Mohd Hasnirol bin Baharom from USM’s Collaborative Microelectronic Design Excellence Centre (CEDEC).
Drone demonstrations and electronic circuit-board activities introduced pupils to technology at close range. Their questions moved from how the equipment worked to what it could do, giving facilitators opportunities to discuss its everyday applications.
The possibility of using drones to carry items particularly caught pupils’ attention, connecting the demonstration with their own ideas about how technology might help people.
Discovering the Science Beneath Their Feet
Soil Engineers offered another route into science. Dr. Hasnuri Mat Hassan from USM’s School of Biological Sciences, together with master’s student Ong Jo Yee, introduced pupils to earthworms, organic materials and soil health.
The activity covered worm care and vermicomposting, which uses worms to help break down suitable organic material into compost.
Pupils wanted to know what the worms ate, how long they lived, how to care for them and how to recognise an adult. Questions about their life cycle and reproductive characteristics added to the discussion.
“Once the pupils could see the worms for themselves, there was so much they wanted to know; from what to feed them to how they help the soil,” Noraimiyanti said.
Ong, whose research concerns fertilisers for oil palm, helped connect university research with explanations of organic materials and soil care that pupils could follow.
For Year Six pupils Adilia Quisara and Adilia Aryana, the earthworms were a highlight. They found them cute and enjoyed learning how the thickened band on a worm’s body helps identify an adult.
They were also interested in the worms’ reproductive characteristics and contribution to soil fertility. Friendly exchanges with the USM team made them comfortable asking questions and sharing their discoveries.
A Fresh Approach to Maths
Maths Mania was facilitated by Muhammad Adam Hakim bin Muhammad Hanif and Muhammad Irfan Danish bin Mohd Efendi from USM’s School of Computer Sciences.
Through interactive activities, they shared quick calculation methods and encouraged pupils to recognise patterns and try different strategies.
Mathematics panel teacher Loh Siew Lee welcomed the chance to explore these approaches alongside her pupils.
“Some pupils feel anxious about mathematics, especially questions that require thinking skills. When calculation methods are shared in an engaging way, the teachers get excited about trying them with the pupils too,” she said.
Working with university students also gave pupils opportunities to discuss answers, ask questions and attempt calculations in a relaxed setting.
University Expertise, Shared with the Community
The initiative was led by Associate Professor Dr. Shaik Abdul Malik as project leader from the School of Educational Studies and USM’s Industry and Community Network Division (BJIM), working with team members Wan Nurizah and Alief.
The team coordinated the programme’s planning and delivery, working closely with CEDEC, the School of Biological Sciences, the School of Computer Sciences and the school.
Headteacher Puan Noor Hafiza binti Mohd Johari and her teachers worked closely with the USM team to support participation and connect the activities with pupils’ learning needs.
USM’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Industry and Community Network), Professor Dato’ Dr. Azlan Amran, said reaching out to communities remained central to the university’s work.
“Our mission is to work alongside communities and put USM’s knowledge and expertise to practical use. This has long been part of our work, and we will continue strengthening it through partnerships with schools and communities,” the Deputy Vice-Chancellor said.
USM’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato’ Seri Ir. Dr. Abdul Rahman Mohamed, commended the team and the school for bringing learning beyond the classroom and encouraging pupils’ interest in STEM.
“Congratulations to everyone involved. Experiences like these give children an early opportunity to discover an interest in science and technology. That is particularly relevant in Penang, with its strong electrical and electronics (E&E) sector,” the Vice-Chancellor said.
The programme sparked curiosity in different ways, from exploring what a drone could do and examining an earthworm up close to discovering a new way to solve a mathematics problem.
By bringing these experiences into school, USM and its school partners created a shared day of discovery and encouraged pupils to keep asking questions beyond it.