With the rapid development in science and technology, STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education has become a crucial strategy for adapting and cultivating technological innovation in various countries. In Pakistan, the private education sector has evolved STEAM education practices as a future trend.
Educationists suggest that STEAM education often seems more like a ‘privilege’ than an essential component of education. Previously, the authorities had announced various projects to cultivate STEAM learning, but they have been of no use. According to the Pakistan Science Foundation, the initial plan was to install STEAM learning in the existing school education system.
Latest data from the Pakistan Alliance for Math and Science revealed that more than two-and-a-half million children in Pakistan lack access to education. Pakistan is in second place in the world ranking of out-of-school children. The situation has led Pakistan to the state of education emergency.
However, STEAM educators hope that the increasing interest of parents and children in practical skills might prove it a leading learning technique.
STEAM educator for children Maydda Nabeel told Jarida Today that parents play the role of investors in Pakistan due to the absence of quality education. Their investment is not only monetary but also in terms of time and nutrition, things that are considered free of cost in a welfare state.
So rhetorically, she said that parents are combating the complex dilemma of providing both the traditional and modern way of education, which leads to the increasing interest of parents in STEAM education, despite the circumstances.
International Baccalaureate educator and STEAM facilitator Humza Zafar Malik told Jarida Today that it would be unwise to consider this a general trend everywhere, but parents are increasingly encouraging their children to enjoy learning while developing practical skills. He said that parents are also getting their children enrolled in after-school STEAM clubs and competitions, which is a positive sign for future learning trends.
Highlighting the current landscape, Maydda said that political instability strongly impacts the implementation of STEAM education, while the large number of students still requires basic education, and the technical aspects of education remain unclear. “Personally, I believe arts education is low on the priority list in Pakistan, despite being a basic human need that provokes creativity,” she said.
She questioned how one could solve problems without fostering creativity. “It is need of the hour that Pakistan resolves its political issues and focuses on education,” she said, adding that India had limited political intervention in the field of education.
Humza said that STEAM education is being embedded into school curricula, especially in International Baccalaureate and other private schools, and is also being incorporated into art universities like the Beaconhouse National University, “where we’ve introduced a course that links art with STEAM”, essentially representing the shift from STEM to STEAM.
Talking about the evolution of STEAM education in Pakistan, he said that it is catching on, and students these days prefer hands-on experience rather than solely theoretical knowledge. “However, it is still far behind global standards, as access is available to a limited demographic of students. Additionally, when comparing the quality of the curriculum, it still lacks critical skills, including critical thinking. The teachers are also in a learning phase, as technology is rapidly evolving, and they are trying to keep up with it,” he mentioned.
Maydda said that STEAM is a very in-depth and gradual educational process, and it is not possible for a student to learn it in an hour or two. Giving an example, she said that we are currently running a hydroponic project and we at the same time teach the students about mechanics, taking care of living objects, physics, chemicals, mathematical dimensions, and art elements in order to achieve the deep understanding and mindful solution of an issue. Unfortunately, the Pakistani teachers are lacking these types of skills.
She said that the trend of STEAM education in the public sector is very rare, but they are collaborating in such type of projects. However, she said that schools in the private sector – both upper-tier and lower-tier – have incorporated this model, thanks to the investment and business opportunities.
What is STEAM education?
Hamza said it is a multidisciplinary program that offers various branches of curriculum related to science and technology. He said that it is important as we move towards a tech-savvy and advanced civilization, and there is no better way to prepare than by learning about the future we know is coming.
Maydda Nabeel said that it is the integration of various domains that aim to make learning easier for children. She said that the future world is going to rely on technology, both physically and mentally, so STEAM learning proposes a problem and educates children on how to solve it with the help of technology.