JFIT Sustainability Insight #5:Investments in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) for SDGs (2020)
We invited Prof Dr Manzoor Hussain Soomro, President of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECOSF), Islamabad, Pakistan. ECOSF aims to promote science and technology research with and end goal to raise socio-economic standing of 10 Member States (Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Islamic Republic of Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan).
Prof Soomro and Prof Shahbaz Khan, Director of UNESCO Jakarta, revisited the definition of the STEM, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), and Inquiry-based science education (IBSE) and relationship among them. In Prof Soomro’s view, STEM subjects are the important topics for ESD, and the IBSE is a key approach in teaching the STEM subject. IBSE allows children the opportunity to explore “hands-on”, to experiment, to ask questions and to develop responses based on reasoning. Therefore, all three elements are synergistic and important for all levels of society members and all genders.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the most significant challenge for ECOSF is the lack of stable broadband. Unstable internet connection has been affecting the IBSE program and online teacher training. He highlighted it is important for the government to invest in ICT infrastructure to support the delivery of education.
They also explored the ideal level of investment in STEM. On average, ECO countries spend 0.3% of GDP on research and development, which is much less than most developed economies. Prof Soomro recommended all part of society must invest to STEM, and acceptable and minimum levels of investment as 1 % of GDP.