AGAINST the backdrop of a rapidly evolving world, ‘STEM’- a collective term for the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics- has been touted as the vehicle necessitating innovation and competitiveness. While there is the global impetus placed on developing STEM, some schools of thought have attempted to push the benefits of ‘STEAM’.

The first time I was introduced to this concept was by Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry (who was then the Junior Minister) at the launch of the ‘Youth Innovation Project of Guyana’ (YIPoG) in May 2017.

Addressing the gathering, she explained that STEAM involved the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, Anthropology, Archaeology, Arts, Architecture, and Mathematics. Notably, as opposed to the global ascription of STEM, this concept sought to incorporate the Humanities/ Arts subjects.

I was very surprised when I first heard about STEAM and even more surprised when I heard that it was an extension of the STEM concept to include these other areas. The arts are not usually seen as a necessary facilitator of development.

As a Science student for five years, in a ‘Science’ school, I was privy to the general assumption that the Sciences was the stream for the smarter folks and that those persons aligning in the other streams, especially the Humanities/ Arts stream, were just not as smart or hardworking.

It came as a great surprise to many when at the Sixth Form level, I decided to pursue a Degree in Humanities (and even more surprising that I took an interest in Sociology, not Law) instead of continuing my pursuit in Science.

I came to understand in my studies (though many may disagree) that Sociology is hailed as the ‘Queen of all sciences’ by founding father Auguste Comte, who also related that it was the most complex science to study. Another founding father, Emile Durkheim argued that Sociology could be as objective as the natural sciences and proposed the study of “social facts” garnered through “positivism”- an approach to the study of society that specifically utilises scientific evidence, like experiments, statistics and qualitative results, to reveal a truth about the way society operates and functions.

As such, I became cognisant of the importance of the Arts. And it turns out, I’m not the only one.

This past week, the regional science fair for Georgetown was held at Queen’s College. The fair was held under the theme: “Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics- paving the way for a green and sustainable society” and featured an entire host of projects from the nursery to tertiary level, all presenting ways to improve this country through the use of STEAM.

What was amiss however was that there seemed to be only one project which highlighted the use of the Arts. It was the Tucville Secondary school with their Social and Behavioural Science project guided by the slogan: “Don’t take away their dreams.” Every other project relied heavily on the Sciences and Technology to present solutions to local issues.

Nevertheless, a prerequisite for each project was to show how the solution presented, integrated the use of all components of STEAM. While the projects may have presented innovative and impeccable solutions to local problems, they would have had to show how they employed the use of the sciences and the arts.

While doing a bit of research on STEM and STEAM, I came across an article written in the Washington Post (2015) by Dr. Loretta Jackson-Hayes, an associate professor of chemistry at Rhodes College in Memphis.

Dr. Jackson-Hayes posited that while the US has been touting STEM as a facilitator for competitiveness, especially in its attempt to consolidate itself as a superpower in all facets of the global sphere, ‘Liberal Arts’ (the Arts/ Humanities) were vital.

“To innovate is to introduce change. While STEM workers can certainly drive innovation through Science alone, imagine how much more innovative students and employees could be if the pool of knowledge from which they draw is wider and deeper. That occurs as the result of a Liberal Arts education,” she wrote.

Global development hinges on scientific advancements, undoubtedly. But without the Arts to compliment these advances, how applicable would they truly be?

Of course, this by no means seeks to undermine or discredit the impact and importance of STEM but rather seeks to highlight the importance of the Arts and of harnessing the sciences and the arts, collectively.

I cannot express how happy I am that my country has recognised that the Arts are critical for development and that it has actively facilitated ways of harnessing the two. STEAM is the way to go!