SEAQIS hosted the 4th Ki Hajar Dewantara (KHD) Award at Mason Pine Hotel, Bandung, Indonesia. It is a prestigious event to appreciate the innovations of science teachers in Southeast Asia. The two-day event, held from 5 to 6 November 2024, gathered remarkable science educators from Southeast Asia to exchange teaching strategies and celebrate their contributions to science education.
Eight talented teachers from across the region—representing Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Timor-Leste—presented their innovative approaches to making science lessons engaging and relevant in the digital age. The event’s theme, “Future-Ready Classrooms: Strategies for Digital Science Teaching,” guided discussions on aligning lessons with today’s tech-driven world.
One of the parts of the event was SEAQIS International Conference on Science Education (SICSE) 2024, which also a form to celebrate the National Teachers’ Day on 25 November 2024. This conference included presentations from teachers and researchers sharing advancements in science education. Expert speakers Dr Simone Blom PhD (Southern Cross University, Australia), Professor Xiang-Ping Wu (Chinese Academy of Sciences, China), and Professor Dr Kang Zhang (The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Guangzhou Campus, China) gave insights on teaching science in a digital landscape. Participants then joined parallel sessions to explore topics such as STEM/STEAM education, utilisation of digital tools/app in science teaching and learning, 21st-century skills, and interactive learning.
The event peaked with the Awarding Night of the 4th KHD Award on 6 November, where guests were treated to an evening of memorable performances, including sand art by Vina Candrawati, a choir by SMPK BPK Penabur Cimahi students, contemporary dance by Gantari, and Manshur Angklung’s national and traditional songs performance. The evening’s highlight was the announcement of the top three winners: (1) Mr Chan Sau Siong from Singapore; (2) Mr Hafiz Anshari from Indonesia; and (3) Dayang Suzanah binti Haji Kurus from Brunei Darussalam. Meanwhile, the most favorite nominees based on the audience’s votes are Mr Zainudin bin Zainal Abidin from Malaysia and Mr Sutipong Jaikaew from Thailand.
On 7 November, the nominees, judges, and SEAQIS personnel immersed themselves in Indonesian culture, learning batik-making at Batik Komar and playing angklung at Saung Angklung Udjo.
Reflecting on the event, Mr Zainudin bin Zainal Abidin from Malaysia expressed his gratitude, stating, “I think this award is actually very good. And it’s given us, as a teacher, to work hard to become the best for the students. And I hope that this award will be continued next year.” Hopefully, all teachers who attended this event are inspired to apply their new knowledge to make science more engaging for students throughout the region.
Writer: M. Rafi Mahdy
Proofreader: Arinda Risma W. & Ayu Intan H.
