The call aligns with the ministry's strategic plan for 2018-2030, which aims at achieving a balanced 60/40 enrolment ratio for science and humanities at the tertiary level.

Currently the ratio of science, technology engineering and mathematics (STEM) stands at 40/60.

A statement from the ministry said to facilitate this, “the ministry has invested in infrastructure of which over 300 state-of-the-art laboratories have been constructed and refurbished nationwide in the second cycle institutions.”

It said the facelift of infrastructure represented a significant enhancement to the quality of science education.

The statement said the ministry further wished to assure prospective students, guardians and the general public that additional vacancies had been created specifically for science courses to accommodate students interested in pursuing a science-based education.