ISKANDAR PUTERI, Oct 17 – Iskandar Puteri, 17 October 2025 – Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), through the Knowledge Transfer Programme (KTP@FKA), continues to strengthen its community outreach by successfully conducting a Climate Change Awareness Module at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Sungai Melayu, Iskandar Puteri.

Organized by the members of the Hydraulics and Hydrology Research group (HHRG) from the Faculty of Civil Engineering (FKA) in collaboration with the Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Centre (DPPC), Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT), UTM Kuala Lumpur, the program aims to nurture environmental awareness, climate literacy, and resilience among school children, shaping the next generation of informed, responsible, and empowered citizens.

This initiative marks the second successful school engagement, following the earlier implementation at SK Pendas Laut. Together, these two pilot schools are part of a growing educational movement under UTM’s University Social Responsibility framework, aligning with the national Malaysia MADANI agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) – SDG 13: Climate Action and SDG 4: Quality Education.

Learning Through Play: Guardians of the Planet

The one-day event united UTM academicians, teachers, and student facilitators in a lively, hands-on learning environment. Students took part in five interactive “Guardians of the Planet” game stations, where science met creativity – from exploring how greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere through the “Trapped Heat Mission”, to tracing the water cycle in a fun relay challenge called “Rainmaker Quest”. They also learned about endangered species and biodiversity in “Rescue the Heroes”, decoded climate change terms through games in “World Detectives: Climate Edition”, and identified pollution sources and prevention methods in “Spots the Polluter”.

The laughter, teamwork, and curiosity that filled the school compound reflected how meaningful education can emerge from engaging play.

Teachers as Agents of Change

Building on the success of the first phase, the program at SK Sungai Melayu introduced a Train-of-Trainers (ToT) approach. Teachers were guided through demonstration sessions by the UTM team before conducting the modules themselves, applying what they learned directly with their students. This hands-on model empowers teachers to continue the module independently through Science and Environmental Clubs, ensuring that climate education remains active and sustainable beyond the initial university engagement.

“Our goal is to make learning about climate and disaster awareness both engaging and relevant. When children understand their environment, they become active protectors of it. This is how we build long-term resilience from the classroom to the community,” said Dr Ts. Kogila Vani Annammala, Project Leader of KTP@FKA.

Collaboration for a Resilient Future

The project has also been proposed to the Malaysian Red Crescent Society (MRCS) under its 5SK Youth Initiative (Safe Steps, Safe Schools, Safe Kids), extending collaboration to a national platform for resilience and environmental education. This synergy between academia, educators, and humanitarian organizations embodies UTM’s role as a national driver of change in translating research and innovation into real community impact.