THE Ministry of Education along with a few of its partners and key stakeholders are constantly pushing for the advancement of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education across Guyana.
On Wednesday, during the launch of the SHOUT4Change project by Recover Guyana, Assistant Chief Education Officer-Secondary (ACEO) at the Ministry of Education (MoE) Sherwyn Blackman, commended the organisation for its efforts in implementing change by using the voices of our youths and recognised the incorporation of STEM into the project.
STEM education allows students to ask questions, analyse information, and create solutions. Each of the four subjects has a purpose: science helps us to understand the world, while technology provides the tools to apply that knowledge, engineering turns ideas into practical systems, and mathematics ensures precision as well as accuracy.
According to a previous report, these skills together build confidence, creativity, and critical thinking, which are needed in a growing economy like ours.
The ACEO-Secondary had said that the ministry and by extension, the Government of Guyana has done a lot in terms of advocating for the inclusion of STEM, as well as how they can roll out these initiatives across the country. Important to this is how the young people of today can take advantage of and utilise the skillsets learned through STEM to cause a rippling effect of continued development in Guyana, Blackman said.
He noted that the MoE is always encouraged by its stakeholders, particularly the non-government and private stakeholders, who are prepared to work along with Guyanese youths and provide them with opportunities to have their voices heard for greater things.
Another partner in the advancement of STEM in Guyana is ExxonMobil Guyana, a key supporter of Recover’s SHOUT project.
ExxonMobil’s Community Relations Supervisor, Ryan Hoppie, had said the company’s support for SHOUT reflects its commitment to long-term value by empowering the next generation of thinkers, problem solvers and leaders.
In February, ExxonMobil had announced its commitment of US$100 million to a new STEM initiative in Guyana, the development of a STEM Centre at the University of Guyana. The university’s campus was selected to elevate STEM education, and place younger children in a campus environment that nurtures curiosity as well as ambition.
The University of Guyana already has a programme called the Regional Accelerator for STEM Students Readiness (RASSR) camps, aimed at strengthening the best young minds in STEM from across Guyana, and targets students ages 10 to 12 years old.
The programme provides rich and engaging opportunities for students to interact with each other, while also learning and applying scientific principles in STEM subjects.
