Dear Editor,

There is a growing global consensus that science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) is the cornerstone of modern progress. The buzzwords are innovation, transformation, and digitisation.

I cannot help but feel that we are still not engaging deeply enough with STEM. The reality on the ground does not reflect the ambition in our language.

The first step in any genuine national transformation in STEM is not funding or facilities; it is thinking differently. Thinking more inquisitively. We need to cultivate a culture of curiosity that drives people to ask deeper questions about their environment, their society, and the systems around them. Not the kind of intrusive prying that disrupts lives, but a disciplined and determined devotion to inquiry, to problem solving, to wondering “why not?” and “what if?”

This shift in mindset must begin in our homes, our schools, and our communities. It must be infused into the way we teach, the way we solve problems, and the way we imagine the future. That is where innovation begins — not with funding alone, but with fascination.

Consider, for example, the ongoing climate variability and water challenges in urban areas such as Kingston. It rained last afternoon due to a trough across the island, but in a city increasingly affected by low rainfall and urbanisation, where is the sustained local research on weather modification? Rain seeding — though it has its criticisms — has been explored and implemented in other parts of the world. Have we meaningfully examined its feasibility here? What about other strategies tailored to our unique climate and geography?

Instead of merely reacting to crises, we ought to establish research hubs in every parish, each focused on a distinct scientific priority. Think, agricultural resilience in St Elizabeth; marine biodiversity in Portland; energy alternatives in Clarendon. A more concentrated approach would yield not only more innovation and specialisation, but greater ownership of STEM at the community level. Perhaps the historic counties of Cornwall, Middlesex and Surrey could provide the foundation for this regional model of scientific inquiry. Each could become a nucleus for specific areas of research, with facilities equipped not only to educate but to explore, test, and transform ideas into practical solutions.

As an educator, I see the curiosity in students’ eyes, but I also see the disconnect between what they are being taught and what they are able to do. The promise of STEM will never be realised until theory meets opportunity — and opportunity must be purposefully created.

We must move beyond STEM as a slogan and embrace it as a national strategy that demands long-term investment, cross-sector collaboration, and the political will to turn ambition into action.

It is not that we have done nothing. It is that what we have done remains insufficient.

Let us stop merely speaking about STEM, let us live it.

Leroy Fearon

Educator

leroyfearon85@gmail.com