Kuala Lampur, Sept. 21 -- STEM education is often associated with modern laboratories, advanced instruments, and costly infrastructure.

These facilities are valuable, but equity in STEM cannot wait for them to reach every corner of our education system. The need is even more pressing given the nearly 50 percent decline in science enrollment over the past decade, a trend that threatens Malaysia's future scientific capacity.

Access to meaningful STEM learning should not be defined by postcode or family income. It can, and must, begin now with simple tools and genuine curiosity.

Since 2022, I have involved in STEM outreach through the Emerging Infectious Disease (EID) Research Program at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). Our work has reach...