Forbes – Tim Lindsay
“Fareed Zakaria, a writer for the Washington Post as well as a CNN host, believes that America has an unhealthy “obsession” with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education. “America’s last bipartisan cause is this,” he writes, “A liberal education is irrelevant, and technical training is the new path forward. It is the only way, we are told, to ensure that Americans survive in an age defined by technology and shaped by global competition.” Without denying that “science and technology are crucial components” of education, Zakaria warns nonetheless, “This dismissal of broad-based learning, however, comes from a fundamental misreading of the facts—and puts America on a dangerously narrow path for the future.” Why? According to Zakaria, the STEM-surge will destroy “the kind of teaching” that has helped this country lead “the world in economic dynamism, innovation and entrepreneurship.” What kind of teaching? “A broad general education,” which “helps foster critical thinking and creativity.” Such an education, he urges, along with an “optimistic outlook,” helps Americans go on to outperform the rest of the world economically despite the fact that our students score relatively poorly compared to other OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) nations in math, science, and reading..”(more)