Education Ministry Forges Ahead with STEM in Schools

The Ministry of Education and Youth has been actively promoting Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education in a concerted effort to advance student learning and innovation throughout the country.

The Ministry’s Director, Region Four, Dr. Michelle Pinnock, has highlighted the significance of this approach, noting that the Ministry currently has several schools engaged in STEM pilots to pioneer that roadmap to building a sustainable STEM future.

She was addressing the inaugural STEM Day 2024 at Manning’s School in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland, on Tuesday, March 26.

The event was held under the theme ‘STEM Solutions for a Sustainable Future’.

Dr. Pinnock pointed out that The Mico University College in Kingston, through a government-backed initiative, is offering a $2.5-billion scholarship programme for 1,250 new student teachers to study STEM subjects.

“The programme is the largest scholarship initiative by the Government [because] we want to ensure that our teachers are aware as to how to integrate this whole business of STEM,” she said.

Dr. Pinnock outlined specific activities at different grade levels, such as business education, agriculture, and ornamental gardening at grade four, and container gardening, recycling, and other activities at grade five to further inculcate the importance of STEM in the nation’s young minds.

“For our schools in Western Jamaica, our teachers are really motivating them (students) to think through some of the issues. It is through STEM that we’re going to be able to work on renewable energy, agricultural practices, waste management and, of course, find solutions for healthcare,” she explained.

“Also, we’re finding that our children are enjoying school; they’re having fun as they are learning,” she added.

Several schools, including Sydney Pagon STEM Academy, Dinthill Technical High School, and Herbert Morrison Technical High School, are actively promoting STEM careers and engaging students in projects like agro-processing, according to Dr. Pinnock.

Additionally, she noted that the Ministry, in collaboration with 21st Century, launched STEM camps and projects aligned with the national standards curriculum, offering virtual STEM courses to 42 schools.

“We want to say thanks to the private sector who are partnering with a number of schools. We have a number of engineers that go into our schools to help our teachers and to bring attention towards some of the STEM careers that our children can be engaged in,” Dr. Pinnock outlined.

For his part, Principal of Manning’s School, Steve Gordon, cited the school’s long-standing dedication to STEM principles.

He stated that the opening of the Victor Lowe STEM Centre on campus in 2023, made possible by past students and Mr. Victor Lowe, was as a significant step in advancing STEM education at Manning’s School and Jamaica.

In the meantime, Principal Gordon expressed excitement about the school’s first STEM Day, welcoming participants to view student exhibitions and discover new skills.

He commended all participating schools for their efforts and emphasised the importance of collective engagement in driving towards a sustainable future through STEM education.

“I am sure that we are going to learn a lot in viewing these exhibitions, perhaps even discovering something new and exciting in the process,” Mr. Gordon said.

Among the schools that participated on STEM Day 2024 were Manning’s School, Green Island High School, Nain High School, Rusea’s High School, Excelsior High School, Savanna-la-Mar Primary School, and others.