WITH the increasing local and global demand for training in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), The Mico University College invites students to apply for 250 scholarships to pursue a Bachelor of Education in a STEM discipline starting in the 2023/2024 academic year.

The four-year scholarships offered by The Mico through its Faculty of Science and Technology, are fully funded by The Ministry of Finance, and cover tuition, accommodation, miscellaneous fees and health insurance. Students can choose to study computer science, mathematics, physics, biology, chemistry, industrial technology, geography & environmental studies, and family & consumer science.

A degree in a STEM discipline has high marketability, and equips graduates with transferable skills, preparing them to work in education but also across multiple industries and sectors, locally and globally.

The push towards increased training in STEM subjects is part of the strategic direction of the Ministry of Education to fill the gap for trained STEM teachers in Jamaica. The training of STEM teachers is of critical importance, as graduates will play a key role in the success of STEM education at the primary and secondary levels. Statistics indicate that approximately 15 per cent of students who sit the Caribbean Secondary School Certificate (CSEC) each year are qualified to sit the STEM subjects. Of that number, only a small percentage will matriculate to teacher training institutions.

President of The Mico Dr Asburn Pinnock is encouraging institutions to take a scientific approach to determining their need for STEM teachers, based on projected school populations and the demands of the education sector and other industries. He recommends that institutions streamline increased numbers of students into STEM subjects, preparing them to matriculate to pursue tertiary studies in a STEM discipline.