THE Ministry of Education and Youth is looking to introduce and implement integrated science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education teaching methodologies to enhance student learning experiences.

Portfolio Minister Fayval Williams says this will see students working hands-on or in groups on STEM-related activities to promote practical problem-and project-based learning.

The shift in methodology comes as the Government places greater focus on making Jamaica the STEM centre of the Caribbean, in alignment with global technological advancements.

Minister Williams outlined details of the engagement while speaking during the opening ceremony for Mico University College’s STEM Century International Conference at the AC Hotel Kingston on Tuesday.

She commended Mico for leading the implementation of integrated STEM education, noting that the institution will be tasked with “preparing our new teachers as well as those already in the system to deliver integrated STEM”.

Williams informed stakeholders that currently, the National Standards Curriculum stipulates that STEM be taught as “discrete subjects” by a specialised teacher focused on a particular discipline.

Against this backdrop, she maintained that although delivering STEM as a discrete subject discipline allows for in-depth exploration of content and skills, it may “not fully capture the integrated nature of STEM fields or provide opportunities for students to develop interdisciplinary problem-solving and critical-thinking skills”.

“Discrete STEM education often employs traditional instruction or methods, such as lectures, textbook reading, worksheets, [and] lab experiments specific to the subject area, and usually the instruction is teacher-centred with less emphasis on student-led inquiry or cross-disciplinary connections,” Williams pointed out.

For his part, Mico President Dr Asburn Pinnock emphasised that all stakeholders must view STEM as a tool that can potentially help to solve the nation’s problems.

“A STEM-competent workforce will positively impact every sector and bring us closer to solving issues such as climate change, water scarcity, health crises, world hunger and social unrest. It will require us to use data gathered through STEM applications to improve systems, which improve the quality of our lives,” he said.

Dr Pinnock said STEM’s engineering component has been pivotal in enabling the institution to extract more than 100,000 gallons of potable water from a 240-foot well under the recently commissioned Mico Independent Water Resource facility. This amidst the prevailing islandwide drought.

“We’re able to remove ourselves from the National Water Commission grid, resulting in significant cost savings. The well stands as an excellent example of how the application of STEM solves a real problem, which is the scarcity of water, during a drought exacerbated by climate change,” he declared.

The conference, which is being hosted in tandem with the Education Ministry, STEM for Growth Foundation, and 21st CentEd, will be held at the AC Hotel from July 5 to 7 under the theme ‘Transforming Jamaica Through Education’.

The event will see teachers engaged in several activities, including workshops focused on robotics, animation, ChatGPT, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and the introduction of STEM methodologies.

A 50-member working round table will also be organised, incorporating policymakers, educators, and the private sector, to work on developing a vision map for Jamaica and seizing investment opportunities.