Dear Editor,
In a recent letter in the media the suggestion was made that our Minister of Education should consider following the recommendation of American educationists who are advocating the replacement of STEM (Science, Technology, Engine-ering and Mathematics) with STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) ie, adding the Arts to the acronym.
The Arts indeed cover a wide-ranging group of subjects which may not sufficiently allow for what I consider to be a more urgent and necessary emphasis on attitudinal changes among students and young people generally.
I believe any manager, business leader or others involved in developing and managing human resources will subscribe to the view that while it is by no means easy to access the hard skills relevant to science, technology, engineering, etc.
It is much more difficult and even more urgent and crucial to develop and sustain positive attitudes at work and in society at large.
Therefore, I strongly suggest that we insist on and provide for the development of better attitudes among our young people, and of course adults as the case might be.
Yours faithfully,
Nowrang Persaud
