Concerns over decline in STEM subjects enrolment

Поделиться
HTML-код
  • Опубликовано: 29 дек 2024

Комментарии • 82

  • @takithetutor8300
    @takithetutor8300 9 дней назад +9

    There’s only one way to address the low uptake of STEM subjects i.e teach children foundational concepts in earlier years to enable them to grasp complex maths skills. For this to happen we need teachers with good subject knowledge and possess passion to teach maths and science.

  • @affiliatesssw6940
    @affiliatesssw6940 9 дней назад +13

    The decline in STEM enrolment in South Africa can be attributed to the government's failure to prioritise meaningful policies and initiatives that foster the development of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Instead of investing in quality education, infrastructure, and teacher training to build a competitive workforce, there is a lack of vision and focus, leaving the country lagging behind in these critical fields. Parliament often becomes a platform for political rhetoric rather than actionable solutions, with debates dominated by individuals lacking the technical understanding necessary to effectively address the STEM crisis. To reverse this trend, the government must implement strategic reforms such as increasing funding for STEM programs, incentivising careers, and fostering collaboration with industry and academia. It is crucial to end the unproductive discussions in Parliament and focus on actionable policies that empower students and educators, ensuring South Africa’s progress toward becoming a global leader in STEM innovation.

    • @AndrewMcFarlane_1
      @AndrewMcFarlane_1 9 дней назад

      The ANC cares not for STEM.

    • @abutalairsolutions5546
      @abutalairsolutions5546 9 дней назад

      ​@@AndrewMcFarlane_1
      most ministers themselves are non technical individuals, so that itself says a lot...

  • @Bluecollarjoe6B9
    @Bluecollarjoe6B9 9 дней назад +18

    Can’t enter STEM with a 30% in maths or science 😂

    • @affiliatesssw6940
      @affiliatesssw6940 9 дней назад

      The pass mark needs to be 50-60% and not 30% but the imbecilic politicians are pushing this as if its a good thing

  • @kingcalv10
    @kingcalv10 9 дней назад +12

    STEM careers need to be developed ...
    The talent pool is there but the only opportunities are for PhDs in academia. Lots of unemployed graduates.
    These students are better off in economics and other fields. We dont have an ecosystem here. Universities get research funding but never bring any products or businesses to market.
    Lets not rush the kids into a broken system, stop marketing things that are not working.

    • @affiliatesssw6940
      @affiliatesssw6940 9 дней назад +2

      The reality is South Africa is behind, just few weeks ago the grade 8 and grade 4 were competing with the world on maths and guess what they got number last which shows that your arguments are futile...we are speaking with evidence and proof ....

    • @kingcalv10
      @kingcalv10 9 дней назад +1

      @@affiliatesssw6940 The only evidence here is your lack of comprehension. you missed my point, I am saying there is limited utility in STEM education in South Africa because STEM related industries are nascent at best in RSA. Please read for comprehension.

    • @vuyiswadlamini9273
      @vuyiswadlamini9273 8 дней назад +2

      Doing Maths and science subjects is not inherently so that one can become a mathematician by profession or a scientist. The subjects aim to make one open minded and analytical and a problem solver. Some problems require solutions which are business. Why you can find engineers who open businesses that solve problems that are not like typical math's exercises. As people of the world, we misunderstood (and still do) when we think Maths and science are for becoming scientists, they have always been about making one more capable of solving any type of problem they encounter. So many business consulting companies hire engineers because they trust them to solve problems better that someone who was not necessarily trained in problem solving.
      So people should do maths and sciences as much as possible, not to become scientists or academics, they should do it so that they can walk into any other field and solve any problem they encounter.
      As someone who did some University Maths, I would add that unfortunately, very few of the people doing maths and sciences discover soon that their future might be in fields that require less calculations and variables and more problem solving. Uni maths was not able to open my eyes up to the world as economics and history and philosophy were. There should be a normalization of Maths and science subjects being done along with some social/humanities type of subjects.

  • @objectivelyobserving6434
    @objectivelyobserving6434 9 дней назад +12

    Engineering and Science graduates jobless and every year we must hear this nonsense. Electronic Communication graduate working as a security officer

    • @pjm4
      @pjm4 9 дней назад

      They just want to flood the market so that they lower the wages in STEM reelated jobs.

    • @mninawamavuso3816
      @mninawamavuso3816 9 дней назад +1

      I was about to say the same thing

    • @abutalairsolutions5546
      @abutalairsolutions5546 9 дней назад +4

      Entrepreneurship is the solution, I mean historically speaking, most German Industrial companies were started out by professional graduates, who had graduated from the polytechnical schools and colleges at the time.

    • @affiliatesssw6940
      @affiliatesssw6940 9 дней назад +4

      They need to create employment themselves and not depend on the dead government, the problem with most South Africans are not thinkers!! they love to put CV everywhere

  • @icttesoltutor3449
    @icttesoltutor3449 9 дней назад +10

    Follow Asia best practice in promoting STEM Subjects.

  • @zenzocliffordhlazo6122
    @zenzocliffordhlazo6122 9 дней назад +6

    No efforts from Teachers ? 😅 I teach in an Engineering only school the problem is funding. Government is not giving education enough money. You yourself don't know the real factors you are speculating. Our learners do not fear STEM. There is no money to create an appealing environment for them. Teachers have to find miracle ways to pass a lesson. 👀

  • @Tony-Red
    @Tony-Red 8 дней назад +3

    I've tutored some grade 8s and 9s voluntarily in recent times and it's pretty bad hey. They had maths comprehension at grade 4 level and some struggled even with that

  • @affiliatesssw6940
    @affiliatesssw6940 9 дней назад +22

    If the government truly wants to see a significant increase in STEM enrolment, it must urgently cancel Maths Literacy and make pure mathematics compulsory for all students. Math literacy, while easier, fails to equip learners with the critical problem-solving and analytical skills needed for STEM-related careers, leaving them unprepared to compete on a global stage. This year alone, South Africa ranked last in mathematics performance, highlighting the severity of the failure of the education system. However, we still hear imbecilic ministers praising the education system’s so-called progress, completely detached from the reality of our deteriorating standards. The government must take accountability, prioritise quality over mediocrity, and overhaul the curriculum to emphasise Mathematics, Science, and other STEM subjects if they are serious about uplifting the nation and reversing its poor global standing in education and innovation.

    • @tunnerk_rsa
      @tunnerk_rsa 9 дней назад +1

      My school doesn't offer pure maths it only offers Maths lit, because the learners protested they said it's hard.So the principal removed .

    • @affiliatesssw6940
      @affiliatesssw6940 9 дней назад +1

      @@tunnerk_rsa That needs to be changed we need to get rid of Math literacy....because it does not make people critical thinkers and they will not be able to get to AI and Machine learning if they are doing the rubbish Math literacy

    • @CheeseBokotsi-xt5nr
      @CheeseBokotsi-xt5nr 9 дней назад +6

      Nothing is wrong with Maths Lit, i did it in public school along side History, I was actually at the top of my class even did better than the pure mathes student's on subjects like life sciences. I later did an LLB & taught myself web-development & machine learning/ ai. So your argument that pure maths makes people critical thinkers i disagree cause history also makes people critical thinkers infact pure maths beats the creativity out of you i would argue.

    • @affiliatesssw6940
      @affiliatesssw6940 9 дней назад

      @@CheeseBokotsi-xt5nr In the world we are in Math literacy will never take you any where, with it what can you do?

    • @serogolemogole2685
      @serogolemogole2685 8 дней назад +4

      ​@@CheeseBokotsi-xt5nr​​ ​​while i agree with you because im someone who did both subjects I'd say that pure maths is more helpful in training the mind to think more analytically because it's a lot more abstract than maths lit, therefore one has to use a lot of deductive techniques to analyse information and make clear cut relations and connections between values, ratios, definitions, theorems etc in order to arrive at precise conclusions. But I do agree that maths lit is quite helpful in helping with critical thinking especially when coming to concrete, practical day to day examples where a good grasp on arithmetic is needed

  • @katlegoloveslife
    @katlegoloveslife 8 дней назад +2

    When you see people who did this subjects and sitting at home, there's no incentive to go into those subjects.

  • @vuyiswadlamini9273
    @vuyiswadlamini9273 8 дней назад +4

    My issue is that some schools do not allow students to take Pure Maths without taking Physcis and Life sciences too. Maths is the most important subject for getting into most STEM related courses. If a learner can have at least pure maths and other non-science subjects, they could stand an overall better chance of doing Pure maths, doing well in it and their other subjects without feeling overwhelmed by the rest of the science subjects

  • @pjm4
    @pjm4 9 дней назад +5

    To be honest, STEM subjects are just too challenging yet the return on investment is not all that. The people who actually run the economy are politicians and some business majors, for instance in a mine setting, the people who make the most money are in finance/managerial positions and the tenderprenuars linked to management and politicians.

    • @vuyiswadlamini9273
      @vuyiswadlamini9273 8 дней назад +2

      STEM is actually rewarding when one is not tryin to be a scientist, engineer or mathematician.
      Doing Maths and science subjects is not inherently so that one can become a mathematician by profession or a scientist. The subjects aim to make one open minded and analytical and a problem solver. Some problems require solutions which are business. Why you can find engineers who open businesses that solve problems that are not like typical math's exercises. As people of the world, we misunderstood (and still do) when we think Maths and science are for becoming scientists, they have always been about making one more capable of solving any type of problem they encounter. So many business consulting companies hire engineers because they trust them to solve problems better that someone who was not necessarily trained in problem solving.
      So people should do maths and sciences as much as possible, not to become scientists or academics, they should do it so that they can walk into any other field and solve any problem they encounter.
      As someone who did some University Maths, I would add that unfortunately, very few of the people doing maths and sciences discover soon that their future might be in fields that require less calculations and variables and more problem solving. Uni maths was not able to open my eyes up to the world as economics and history and philosophy were. There should be a normalization of Maths and science subjects being done along with some social/humanities type of subjects.

  • @craigrichards1945
    @craigrichards1945 9 дней назад +2

    Teachers don't get paid enough to work in crap conditions in SA. Don't blame private sector for not investing...it's the states DBE that is rotten

  • @vuyiswadlamini9273
    @vuyiswadlamini9273 8 дней назад +2

    Doing Maths and science subjects is not inherently so that one can become a mathematician by profession or a scientist. The subjects aim to make one open minded and analytical and a problem solver. Some problems require solutions which are business. Why you can find engineers who open businesses that solve problems that are not like typical math's exercises. As people of the world, we misunderstood (and still do) when we think Maths and science are for becoming scientists, they have always been about making one more capable of solving any type of problem they encounter. So many business consulting companies hire engineers because they trust them to solve problems better that someone who was not necessarily trained in problem solving.
    So people should do maths and sciences as much as possible, not to become scientists or academics, they should do it so that they can walk into any other field and solve any problem they encounter.
    As someone who did some University Maths, I would add that unfortunately, very few of the people doing maths and sciences discover soon that their future might be in fields that require less calculations and variables and more problem solving. Uni maths was not able to open my eyes up to the world as economics and history and philosophy were. There should be a normalization of Maths and science subjects being done along with some social/humanities type of subjects.

  • @sibonisondwandwe8029
    @sibonisondwandwe8029 9 дней назад +5

    There are so many Engineering graduates who are sitting at home because of unemployment. What this guy is saying is nonsensical . If science and Technology is that important why can't you employ those graduates who are unemployed in that sector. Whatever that they say in the media doesn't reflect on the reality on the ground. People are suffering with those qualifications in science yet they're saying nothing about it.

    • @OrnamentalHermit02
      @OrnamentalHermit02 9 дней назад +3

      Ive been doing steel and piping since 2001.
      Im the boss now, i have only got high school.
      Thing is project companies dont rotate their engineers, once they find a good one they hold onto them and have no need for tens or hundreds of them. Also they have no clue how to do the actual work.
      I began as a labourer, ive worked in and become proficient in all offices of fabrication and erection of my niche.
      I dropped math, science and took art on std grade because i just wanted to serve my time and leave.
      Not one single employee of mine has anything but highschool,
      We get work from project companies, all necessary disciplines such as welding engineers or 3rd party aia types i hire by the hour, or by the certificate produced . They spend less than 5 hours a month on the job at my premises.
      If i had gone and put myself in debt to study a degree, today i would have something absolutely worthless to me.
      I dont hire such people either because i understand that they bring no value, i value all rounder experience, people who have worked their way up and around the block.
      No university teaches anything practical in this field.
      But from observation i can just become a planner and a damn good one, i know how the supply chain works, how long anything should take and how much of a buffer needs to be created, i know how to run most of it concurrently, and how once a shop is up and running that i just keep feeding the lads new work to process, they get their salaries and wages, my p and g dont go up, but my productivity is tripled or better.
      My teachers mocked me as stupid, so i dropped their subjects and out earn them combined

    • @mninawamavuso3816
      @mninawamavuso3816 9 дней назад

      He’s doing a tick box exercise..that’s what our government do

    • @affiliatesssw6940
      @affiliatesssw6940 9 дней назад

      Stop depending on jobs from the government, in this country you have 523 townships, and the untapped revenue around those townships is R900 billion but it needs people to think and start something.

  • @vuyiswadlamini9273
    @vuyiswadlamini9273 8 дней назад +1

    Some schools force students to take tourism as an 8th (additional subject) just so that in case students fail two of the 20 designated subjects, tourism could possibly still be passed and still allow the student to pass where they would have otherwise failed without the tourism.
    While this probably helps schools to report more learners as having passed, this practice can be terrible for some students as not everyone should do additional subjects and maybe for some, if they do not have to dedicate time to the additional subject, they could probably pass the subjects they end up failing.

  • @tshidiso9653
    @tshidiso9653 9 дней назад +2

    As long as the pass mark in schools is 40% and not aligned with the pass mark in Universities, nothing will improve. It will continue to go down because of the low pass mark standard set by DBE.

  • @ninjaV1979
    @ninjaV1979 8 дней назад +3

    DJs, influencers, politicians, tenderpreneurs and athletes.....that's the pipeline angithi

    • @Honeybager1337
      @Honeybager1337 6 дней назад

      You forgot drug dealing and baby mama.

  • @pajun1078
    @pajun1078 8 дней назад +3

    Mathematics can be easy or difficult depending on how it is taught! When it is reduced to formulas regurgitation, it becomes not only difficult but useless! And there lies the issue, students are fed a bunch of mathematical formulas they are supposed to memorise and just learn how to apply, but with little to no learning of the logic and intuition behind formulas. Outcome => proliferation of professionals with near zero mathematical acumen! Solution => substitute mathematics with programming and teach the necessary mathematics in an applied manner within programming, students will be more engaged and the learning more meaningful; because to be frank, there's a lot of stuff taught in maths that no one ever use, or taught at such low level that they are practically useless!

  • @siduduzocebekhulu7277
    @siduduzocebekhulu7277 9 дней назад +5

    Just create jobs , there are many students who went the STEM way did BSC and they are stuck not knowing what to do with their lives

    • @AndrewMcFarlane_1
      @AndrewMcFarlane_1 9 дней назад +2

      Create from nothing? Seems you failed maths

    • @affiliatesssw6940
      @affiliatesssw6940 9 дней назад +2

      Maths people can start things from scratch

    • @OrnamentalHermit02
      @OrnamentalHermit02 9 дней назад +1

      The private sector creates jobs and the conditions make it impossible for more investment and therefore growth.
      The government uses up what the private sector creates but makes it so theres no point.
      My shareholders made wild promises about their ability to bring in work and to this day ive seen about as much as ive paid them out

    • @affiliatesssw6940
      @affiliatesssw6940 9 дней назад +2

      STEM helps you to be a critical thinker and you need to identify where can you create an opportunity for yourself and stop depending on the dead government

    • @vuyiswadlamini9273
      @vuyiswadlamini9273 8 дней назад

      Doing Maths and science subjects is not inherently so that one can become a mathematician by profession or a scientist. The subjects aim to make one open minded and analytical and a problem solver. Some problems require solutions which are business. Why you can find engineers who open businesses that solve problems that are not like typical math's exercises. As people of the world, we misunderstood (and still do) when we think Maths and science are for becoming scientists, they have always been about making one more capable of solving any type of problem they encounter. So many business consulting companies hire engineers because they trust them to solve problems better that someone who was not necessarily trained in problem solving.
      So people should do maths and sciences as much as possible, not to become scientists or academics, they should do it so that they can walk into any other field and solve any problem they encounter.
      As someone who did some University Maths, I would add that unfortunately, very few of the people doing maths and sciences discover soon that their future might be in fields that require less calculations and variables and more problem solving. Uni maths was not able to open my eyes up to the world as economics and history and philosophy were. There should be a normalization of Maths and science subjects being done along with some social/humanities type of subjects.

  • @thembadladla5683
    @thembadladla5683 10 часов назад

    Even still, pure Math's is not enough. We must move on to applied mathematics!

  • @fkmwazb9567
    @fkmwazb9567 8 дней назад +1

    Encouraging actions. Catch them nice and early by Grade 8 with rich scientific history from French Renaissance and celestial mechanics by Grade 12. Liebniz, Euler-Lagrangian 80% -- Newtonian 20%. This, in part, will enrich their undergrad journeys.

  • @carl4017
    @carl4017 7 дней назад

    I studied microbiology. Theres no jobs... where are the jobs for this subjects?

  • @tshepotshepza8866
    @tshepotshepza8866 9 дней назад +7

    Agriculture is the way to go. You can live without a phone(Technology), but you can't live without food( Agriculture)

    • @truth-Hurts375
      @truth-Hurts375 9 дней назад +2

      Really....And how do you get your products to the markets without Roads and Bridges
      DomDoos
      😂😂😂

    • @marcocoscione8030
      @marcocoscione8030 9 дней назад

      ​@@truth-Hurts375 even that agriculture you're speaking about is a STEM discipline, agriculture has biology, chemistry and maths behind it.

    • @tshepotshepza8866
      @tshepotshepza8866 9 дней назад

      @truth-Hurts375 I'm talking about subsistence farming, no need to take anything anywhere, you farm to feed yourself and your family.

    • @kgoty
      @kgoty 9 дней назад

      Untill your animals get sick..

    • @siduduzocebekhulu7277
      @siduduzocebekhulu7277 9 дней назад

      Lol ay, farming and harvesting is improved by technology devices 😅

  • @nomadicleopard
    @nomadicleopard 9 дней назад

    For the lack of enrollment problem, remove the 30% pass rate and improve teachers.

  • @buangnkhumise5865
    @buangnkhumise5865 21 час назад

    The teachers are the problem... Most of the teachers now are I'll equipped because they were also produced by this same pipeline. Speaking for myself, I enjoyed pure maths because my teacher was great... The other issue is that departments like science and technology are not doing enough to show kids how fun and interesting and what the vast opportunities are in the field. Things like entertainment have great ambassadors because it's all over social media, so kids are most like gonna think it's easy enough to do because it's advertised everywhere, this is why nowadays everyone thinks they are creatives.

  • @TopG-Africa
    @TopG-Africa День назад

    Those u passed grade 9 matha should be forced.

  • @othembelendawo2440
    @othembelendawo2440 4 дня назад

    Lol, none of it helps. Take it from a qualified but unemployed Actuarial Scientist.

  • @Ash_Hole-f7p
    @Ash_Hole-f7p 9 дней назад

    Black excellence

  • @Bluecollarjoe6B9
    @Bluecollarjoe6B9 9 дней назад +1

    The first thing the Apartheid government did was priories high standards of education for its people.
    The ANC: 30%… now it’s shocked that STEM admissions are declining 😂😭

    • @mninawamavuso3816
      @mninawamavuso3816 9 дней назад

      Awu but that education was for the elite

    • @nomadicleopard
      @nomadicleopard 9 дней назад

      ​​@@mninawamavuso3816whether it was elite or not is irrelevant. It is about the quality of education today with the ANC COMPARED to white education during apartheid.

    • @serogolemogole2685
      @serogolemogole2685 7 дней назад

      @@mninawamavuso3816 hence the "for its people" part, meaning whites exclusively

    • @serogolemogole2685
      @serogolemogole2685 7 дней назад +1

      @@Bluecollarjoe6B9 are you aware of the fact that you could still pass your matric with 25% standard grade subjects during apartheid? How's the anc's 30% higher certificate matric pass policy any different from that of apartheid?

  • @victoriajaneke2350
    @victoriajaneke2350 9 дней назад

    Of course, it is not important. Social studies, human resources and relations is the choice....

  • @ItuMamasedi
    @ItuMamasedi 9 дней назад

    This is bad.

    • @AndrewMcFarlane_1
      @AndrewMcFarlane_1 9 дней назад

      It's worse than bad, it was a disaster 30 years ago when the ANC chose a redistributive policy instead of growth

  • @welcometshuma9143
    @welcometshuma9143 9 дней назад

    Lol