CXC right to reverse plan to discontine STEM subjects

THE EDITOR, Madam:

The decision by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) to suspend mechanical engineering, agricultural science, green engineering, electrical and electronic engineering and technology at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Exam levels, due to low students’ enrolment, could have had profound implications.

These subjects are potential pathways to inspire our students and equip them with the prerequisite skills for institutions of higher learning. The absence of subject matter experts in these fields could severely hamper our ability to meet the growing demands of our industries and carry out vital teaching and research in secondary and tertiary institutions.

Indeed, the subjects form part of the core focus of promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education in our institutions. The region needs the teaching and examination of these subjects now more than ever, to prepare this and the next generation to survive in a changing environment. Climate change is devastatingly impacting the global ecosystem, and the Caribbean could suffer immensely due to its vulnerability to environmental shocks. We need to understand the importance of the imminent threat of climate change for our own survival and what we need to do to mitigate it. A subject like green engineering provides students with the awareness of sustainable engineering design, utilising sustainable material, while applying sound social and economic principles. Similarly, mechanical, electrical and electronic engineering and technology are important prerequisite engineering subjects. Interestingly, these areas have a serious shortage of subject matter experts. We are constantly importing people with these skills. Further, we import millions of dollars of agricultural products annually – agricultural science will equip students with fundamental knowledge of sustainable farming and food security.

We must adopt a comprehensive approach to avoid making hasty decisions that could have long-term consequences. The argument that electrical and electronic engineering and technology can be substituted using physics is incomplete; it does not directly replace the unique knowledge and skills.

The CXC needs to urgently collaborate with regional industries and heads of state on how best to promote the uptake of these subjects. Additionally, it must add more cutting-edge subjects, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, to its arsenal. We need the CXC to be at the forefront of our educational development by providing students with the necessary subjects to enhance their STEM education and provide them with deep and wide options. Discontinuing these subjects would have been a backward step and tantamount to going against its mission and vision by denying students a fair chance in this age of global competitiveness, by not providing them with quality, relevant educational services.

NEWMAN MALCOLM

newmaljm@yahoo.com