Dear Editor,
For quite a while, even before it was formally acknowledged, there has been an emphasis on embedding STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) at all levels of our school curriculum. But when we take a deeper look, we will realize something is missing.
Science and technology are the primary drivers of the world economy and the call, as made by President Brigadier David Granger is one that would see an integrated approach for the four disciplines. While I believe this is of paramount importance, it fails to consider an element I consider to be vital.
It has been known at least since the time of Plato that good education requires balance and comprehensive exposure to all the elements of our civilization. Science and Technology may be the backbone of the world economy but we must not overemphasize STEM curricula at the expense of the arts.
I agree with the President that Guyana’s young people must be educated and encouraged to be inventive and innovative. They must be provided with the opportunities to develop practical solutions to the challenges we face and we should encourage them to undertake studies in the STEM areas. However, we must keep in mind that at their heart, innovation and solution finding are also creativity.
The President is quite right: the four disciplines encourage critical thinking, which is essential to solving problems and, most importantly, to being innovative and competitive. But they cannot stand alone. STEM education is necessary but not sufficient – we need to offer a ‘STEAM’ based education to the youth.
STEAM moves one step further by including the arts, and would ensure our youth benefit from a well-rounded education. Make Arts a major part of the national curricula and watch the effect on the quality of people that we produce. China and others have determined, as we must, that STEAM education is a national priority issue. It is necessary for creating historical context, for shaping identities and for encouraging the growth of the creative spark.
A STEM programme is just one part of a child’s education, focusing primarily on maths and science. But our children need a well-rounded, quality education that enables them to make informed decisions that will impact the world and the way they live.
Though many see art and science as somewhat at odds, the fact is that they have long existed and developed collaboratively. This synergy was embodied in great thinkers like the legendary Leonardo Da Vinci and the renowned Chinese polymath Su Song. In fact, it has been found that Nobel laureates in the sciences are seventeen times likelier than the average scientist to be a painter, twelve times as likely to be a poet, and four times as likely to be a musician.
In a world where animation, 3D printers, and virtual reality are quickly becoming the ‘way of the day’, the worlds of art and science must be connected. Thinking of our future, schools should recognize arts classes are not optional. A truly interdisciplinary curriculum marrying the arts and sciences and solving real world problems offer the only alternative to giving our young people the new thinking skills to succeed. This will be one of the best ways to nurture the next generation of leaders and workers for a workforce demanding creativity and innovation.
And we need not re-invent the wheel. Let’s study the STEAM models that exist today. Let’s engage STEAM professionals and be inspired by educational organizations around the world.
Arts education is a key to creativity, and creativity is an essential component of and spurs innovation, and innovation is, agreed to be necessary to create new industries in the future, and new industries, with their jobs, are the basis of our future economic well-being.
Yours faithfully,
Rosh Khan MD
