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WITH the rise of new technology, STEM education has become more and more important across the world.
From health care to food production, it has become clear that our children need to learn more about these subjects to be able to tackle tomorrow’s issues.
But what is STEM education and why is it so important in 2021? We’ll take a look at this article.
What is STEM?
STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, four subjects that we encounter pretty much every day. From the roads, we drive on or the tablet we watch our favorite shows on, we are surrounded by technology and STEM education gives us the tools to understand how things behave and work.
Why is it important?
– STEM jobs are the future.
According to a study from the US Bureau of Labor, employment in STEM occupations is projected to grow 8.8% by 2028. But to be able to fulfill these new jobs, it has become urgent to educate children about STEM subjects across the globe. In fact, according to the United Nations World Population Prospects, over 60% of Africa’s population is currently under 25, the continent definitely has a great potential to improve its economy by producing a generation of young mathematicians and engineers.
Many big companies and corporations have been helping this growth by offering resources and donations, for example, the tech company OKdo has donated 5,000 micro:bit mini computers to young people in Ghana and Kenya.
– It closes the gender gap
According to different studies from UNESCO, just 28% of the tech workforce are women in this sector worldwide and just 30% in Sub-Saharan Africa and it all comes down to a lack of opportunities and education. We need to make STEM subjects more available and approachable to girls. However, it looks like the gap is slowly starting to improve as more STEM opportunities are opening up for girls across the globe.
– It teaches children critical thinking
STEM subjects are not only great for children wanting to go into a STEM job but it’s also a great tool that will help them succeed in any job. In fact, STEM subjects have been proven to improve critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and logical thought process. These qualities matter in any job and career that one wishes to pursue. Overall, STEM education provides a foundation of skills to help children understand the world around them.
African Exponent