Education, in general, is vital for the growth of any country, but as far as the US is concerned, there are two subjects in particular that require more attention namely math and science. Emphasis on these two subjects should not just be at the elementary and high school level the country needs more individuals with math and science degrees. But why exactly are these subjects so important?
Global Competitiveness
Technology in virtually every sphere of life is improving with every passing day. New and more efficient processes are being formulated and so are inventions. Obviously math and science play a major role in all these developments. Countries like China, South Korea and other emerging economies have discovered this and have consequently geared their education systems towards these two disciplines. An increasing number of their students are coming out of universities with very advanced mathematical and scientific knowledge, which they use to drive their economies. There is no doubt that the US has been lagging behind with regard to this aspect, case in point; the fact that more and more patents in the US are being issued to foreigners than to Americans. Needless to say, there is a need to lay more emphasis on math and science if the US is to remain competitive globally.
STEM
STEM refers to science, technology, engineering and mathematics. These four fields of study have played a major role in getting the United States to the top. Skills in these areas of education are necessary for any individual, who is looking to pursue a career in space technology, engineering, computer technology and the like. Despite still being somewhere up there, the US is struggling to remain relevant far as innovation in these sectors is concerned. Scholars from other parts of the world are performing much better in STEM education than those in the US. The effects of this are already being felt as graduates from those countries are injecting better ideas and finding more revolutionary solutions than their counterparts in the US.
More Jobs
There are numerous quality job opportunities in the science and technology sector. Quality here means that STEM employees earn more than most of their counterparts in other professions. It also means that there are better growth opportunities once a person secures a job. By rough estimations, it is expected that the number of employment opportunities in the STEM sector will have grown by almost 20 percent before the turn of the decade. The problem, however, is that the number of qualified individuals will not be at par. What this simply means is that supply will not be able to meet demand, and as a result, American companies may be forced to hire foreigners. This could translate to increased unemployment since a good number of graduates will be having qualifications in other fields that may not be so relevant. Obviously this does not augur well for the country.
Security
If the US continues to lag behind in STEM education, then its security will be compromised more easily. Highly qualified graduates from countries like China may not just be interested in coming up with new inventions some may be hired to infiltrate US systems and steal secrets. This is not just a future threat; it is happening now a good example being the recent military weapons systems hack by China. Such breaches could weaken the country hence making it more susceptible to attacks. To prevent such occurrences, the country needs to focus on equipping graduates with advanced STEM knowledge and skills. It is only by doing so will it be possible to come up with stronger security protocols to safeguard the country.
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Author Bio
Ryan Ayers is a writer who creates informative articles in relation to education. In this article, he explains the importance of math and science degrees and aims to encourage continued study through OU Civil Engineering College.