Coulter wins backing for ’stems’ plan in Schools
Rev Dr Robert Coulter, the Ulster Unionist Party Assembly member for North Antrim and UUP Stormont Commissioner, has welcomed the news from an Executive Minister that more emphasis will be placed on developing Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths subjects, commonly known as STEMs, in schools and college.
Assemblyman Dr Coulter secured this commitment from the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment during ministerial question time at Stormont.
Dr Coulter added: “This is an area which is personally close to my heart given the fact I spent 18 years as a lecturer in the further education sector, and served on the further and higher education committee in the first Assembly in 1998.
“I had asked the Minister if he had any plans to liaise with his fellow Ministers in the Department for Employment and Learning and the Department of Education in order to encourage entrepreneurial awareness in schools and further education colleges?
“The Minister clearly recognized my interest in this area and I got an assurance of the importance for parents and schools that Northern Ireland should place a greater emphasis on STEM subjects.
“I also obtained the assurance the Department for Enterprise, Trade and Investment is fully engaged with the Department for Employment and Learning and the Department of Education and is liaising with them in their work to review the position on STEM subjects and to produce a strategy.
“The Minister’s assurances are especially welcome because the decline in the number of students who opt to take science-related subjects at an early age is a matter of concern.
“I equally welcomed the Minister’s commitment that his Department is fully engaged in the work that is being led by the Department of Education and the Department for Employment and Learning to review the position on science, technology, engineering and maths subjects, and to produce a strategy for their development through schools and further education colleges.
“What is of great importance for the pupils of Northern Ireland is that this work should identify progression routes to higher education and employment as well as emphasise links to wider economy’s skills and innovation needs,” said Assemblyman Dr Coulter.