The team Drama Llamas from SK Setiawangsa recently made their school proud by winning the Petrosains Science Show Competition 2023!
The team attributed their success to their dedication and commitment to preparing themselves for the competition. They also expressed gratitude to Petrosains for its initiative in exposing them to the topics of science and sustainability through the competition.
The winners for the Most Outstanding Performer – Male and Most Outstanding Performer – Female categories were also announced, with Hassan Ali Rayyan Hirman Falani (Team Drama Llamas) from SK Setiawangsa and Sarah Nafeesa Mohamad Azmi (Team The Onerz) from SK Taman Tun Dr Ismail 1 clinching the titles, respectively.
Hassan Ali Rayyan said: “This competition is amazing and exposed me to the topic of sustainability, and I am determined to do even better at the International Science Drama Competition in Bangkok.”
The grand finals of the Petrosains Science Drama Competition 2023 took place on Tuesday, 4th July 2023, at the HGH Convention Centre in Sentul, Kuala Lumpur.
The competition, jointly organised with the Ministry of Education, was first introduced in 2016 by Petrosains, The Discovery Centre, which is PETRONAS’ social impact arm for powering knowledge in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education.
Zainuren bin Haji Mohd Nor, director of the Ministry of Education’s Sports, Co-curricular and Arts Division, who was present as the Guest of Honour at the Grand Finals event, said that quality education must encompass a balanced effort, with equal emphasis in the arts, sciences, good moral and spiritual values.
He added: “This event is an initiative of Dasar Memartabatkan Bahasa Melayu dan Memperkukuh Bahasa Inggeris, better known as MBMMBI Policy, which aims to produce proficient English language users through their involvement in co-academic activities.
The strategic collaboration with Petrosains this year integrates the science concept that aligns with the aspiration of the country’s 60:40 Policy, which is to increase pupils’ interests in science. We hope more pupils will continue to develop their interest in science and enrol in science related courses in tertiary education.”
Petrosains Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Ezarisma Azni Mohamad, meanwhile, said: “The objective of this competition is to foster a passion for science among the younger generation by combining it with the captivating medium of drama. This aligns with Petrosains’ innovative learning approach, which utilises various techniques, including performing arts, to ignite curiosity, inspire enthusiasm, and nurture creativity in students.
“Moreover, this platform provides an opportunity for participants to refine their language skills, public speaking abilities and presentation abilities, all of which are vital for their future career success.
In addition, it allows them to apply and sharpen the essential 4Cs skills: critical thinking, creative thinking, communication, and collaboration, which are crucial for the future workforce,” he said.
By integrating science and drama, the competition aims to promote and ignite interest in STEM learning by leveraging the captivating medium of drama, which not only educates but also fosters integration and moral values.
With the theme “Producing Green, Consuming Clean,” aligned with the United Nations International Year of Millets and global sustainability concerns, this competition challenges young minds to explore sustainability-related issues and devise creative solutions to deliver STEM content in compelling and impactful ways, thereby strengthening STEM literacy.
In addition to fostering innovation and higher-order thinking skills, the competition is designed to emphasise the significance of expressing ideas in English, allowing participants to demonstrate their scientific expertise through the inclusion of dramatic elements like scriptwriting, directing, stage management, and technical aspects.
During the Grand Finals, 10 teams competed in the qualifying rounds to vie for the title of champion and to represent Malaysia at the International Science Drama Competition (ISDC) in Thailand in September 2023. Each of the 10 teams delivered captivating science show performances, showcasing their creativity through experiments and demonstrations that brought scientific theories to life.
Also present were representatives from the Ministry of Education and PETRONAS.
The judges evaluated the performances based on scientific content, cast performance, creativity and overall presentation.
This year, a total of 117 entries were received when the competition was opened to all primary school students between Year 4 to 6 in the country.
The winning team received a cash prize of RM 1,500 and an all-expenses-paid trip to compete in the International Science Drama Competition, which will be held at the National Science Museum in Bangkok, Thailand from 9th to 11th September 2023.
At the international level, the winning team from Malaysia will go head-to-head with teams from China, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, the Philippines, and Australia.
The Malaysian teams have achieved great success in the ISDC (International Science Drama Competition) in recent years. They secured second place and received the Award for Outstanding Performer in the Grand Finals in 2016 and 2017. Additionally, Malaysia won the competition for the first time in 2018 and repeated its victory in 2019.
