Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (KPSTI) has expressed support for Ideas Playground 2026 and is looking to facilitate wider collaboration among relevant agencies and industry players to strengthen the initiative.
Ideas Playground 2026, themed “Connecting Today’s Curiosity with Tomorrow’s Opportunities”, will be held on Nov 7 and 8 at the Sabah International Convention Centre (SICC), bringing together students, industry practitioners, educators, youth organisations and other stakeholders.
Organising Chairperson Precilla Fong said the initiative was designed to give young Sabahans greater exposure to industries, skills and future possibilities beyond the classroom, particularly students from rural communities.
“We are very encouraged by the support from KPSTI. Ideas Playground is about bringing different sectors and opportunities closer to young Sabahans, so collaboration across agencies and industry is important to make this happen,” she said.
She said discussions with KPSTI also explored bringing together relevant organisations under its network to support the event and ensure students could access a wider range of learning experiences, industry exposure and opportunities.
“We want students to discover possibilities before they are expected to make decisions about their future. You cannot choose an opportunity you have never been exposed to,” Fong said.
Ideas Playground will feature industry-based skills activities, interactions with practitioners, exhibitions, competitions and other discovery-based experiences aimed at helping students better understand different sectors and the opportunities that may exist beyond the classroom.
The event will also have a national dimension through the Junior Innovate National Competition, organised by Chumbaka, which will bring young innovators from across Malaysia to Sabah for its national finale.
Ideas Playground 2026 is now inviting schools, education institutions, industry partners, skills activators, exhibitors and organisations interested in supporting student participation to come on board.
Schools are encouraged to register students to participate in the two-day programme, while companies and industry organisations may contribute through skills-based activities, exhibitions, sponsorship, industry engagement or by sponsoring students to attend.
The event will take place on Nov 7 and 8, 2026, at SICC, Kota Kinabalu. Registration and participation details will be made available through Ideas Playground’s official channels.
