Since the implementation of the K-12 educational curriculum in 2012 in the Philippines, the variety of tracks has daunted incoming eleventh graders. After all, the shift from a 10-year to a 12-year education is no easy adjustment. Currently, there are three senior high school tracks a Filipino 10th grader can choose from: the Academic track; Vocational-Livelihood track; and Sports and Arts track. The Academic track prepares a student for tertiary education (i.e university), and under it are three strands: the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) strand; the Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS) strands; and the Accountancy and Business Management (ABM) strand.
Now, let’s say you have chosen the academic track. Is STEM the right strand for you?
1. STEM answers the technical “Hows” and “Whys” of the universe.
The world’s greatest innovations stemmed from these simple questions. (See what I did there?) Why does heat flow from hot to cold? Why does oil suspend on water? How do humans grow biologically? Exciting questions such as these will fuel you when you choose STEM. Consult the second law of thermodynamics and you finally know why heat flows from hot to cold and not vice versa. Study the properties of oil and water and you’ll figure out the scientific reason why oil doesn’t dissolve in water. Learn about mitosis and you’ll see why we grow the way we do.
If your inquisitive nature draws you to STEM, then it may be a sign that STEM is for you.
2. STEM allows you to innovate and pave the way for our society’s future.
Perhaps even right now as a teenager, you have great ideas about sustainable energy. Or your heart brims of fascination with the galaxies and stars. Or you dream of building foundations for your community as an engineer. Or maybe you just love numbers and want to be a mathematician someday. Whatever your reasons are, STEM nurtures that desire for innovation.
3. You want to pursue a STEM-related degree in university.
On a more practical note, STEM prepares you for a STEM-related tertiary education. Under the Sciences subject, you’ll learn more than just chemistry. You’ll also learn more advanced topics in physics, biology, and earth science. If you wish to pursue medicine, do yourself a favor and choose STEM! If you wish to pursue civil engineering or computer science, STEM is definitely for you.
4. STEM offers a multitude of career opportunities.
It is no secret that our world is becoming more modern. Every year sees new phone models with more advanced specs. Architectural becomes more modern over time, calling for stronger alliances with engineers. More advanced technology requires rigorous Math skills. Although these concerns are more focused on in university, knowing that taking STEM opens doors to manifold opportunities is exciting.
And last but not the least on why STEM may be for you:
5. STEM is what your heart yearns for.
Nothing is more powerful than what the heart says. Spending two years in a strand that you’re remotely interested in, in some ways, may be valorous, but it may be in vain if you don’t learn anything from it. Some students take STEM on account of their barkada (“friends”), and while it may make things easier for them socially, it may burden them academically.
Bottom line: nothing fuels more fervently than passion.
Are you ready to take your journey in STEM?
