Why Should Students Choose STEM in Senior High School
I was a transferee student. I did not know that much information about the Senior High School program at Ligao National High School. However, through asking questions with my schoolmates I was able to know some.
I found out that there are four senior high school tracks offered in Ligao National High School. These tracks include Academic, Technical-Vocational-Livelihood, Sports, and Arts. These tracks are then subdivided into different strands.
I know in myself that I really wanted to be in the academic track. In Ligao National High School, the strands that I was able to choose from the academic track are Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Accountancy, Business, and Management (ABM), and Humanities and Social Science (HUMSS). Ultimately, I chose STEM because my dream career is aligned with this strand.
Time really flies fast. Looking back, I was very worried about how I would fare in senior high school. But all of that are in the past now. As of the moment, I am a graduating student of Ligao National High School from the STEM strand. Oftentimes, I heard my fellow students talk about how hard STEM is. Personally, I think that all the senior high school strands are hard. However, I think that you will succeed if your strand is really the one that you want. Because there are cases where parents’ opinion influence the strand of choice.
As a graduating senior high school student, I want to tell that you that your strand should be your personal choice. Otherwise, you will only suffer in the long run. As I have mentioned earlier, some say that STEM is hard. Well, we all have different skills and learning capacities. Thas is why I cannot speak for all the STEM students. To give you a perspective, here are the subjects that needs to be taken in STEM.
STEM has a lot of core learning areas and subjects that is shared with other trands. However, there is what we call the specialized subjects. For incoming senior high school students in Ligao National High School who want to be in STEM, the specialized subjects are Practical Research 1, General Chemistry 1 & 2, Biology 1 & 2, Pre-Calculus, and Basic Calculus. Now that we have come this far, there are some questions that must be answered.
So, why should you choose STEM?
The first reason I can think of why you should choose STEM is the subjects. In STEM, mathematics and science are given utmost importance. This is evident with the number of specialized subjects that needs to be taken.
But why? The answer is simple. Most college entrance exams here in the Philippines are made based on Mathematics and Science topics. This is something that students from other strands worry about. If you are a STEM student, you already have sufficient knowledge of these topics whereas students from others strands need to take these to know the concepts and applications. It is worth considering that one of the goals of the K-12 curriculum especially the Senior High School program is to equip students with skills so that they can apply for jobs right after graduation. Unfortunately, that is not the case. There are a lot of senior high school graduates that cannot apply for jobs. Because of this, most senior high school graduates still pursue college education.
The second reason why you should choose STEM is the immersion with science and technology topics. In STEM, we have Practical Research that heightens our curiosity and unleash our innovative thinking. In the 21st century, science and technology is important in finding solutions to problems.
The third reason why you should choose STEM is the career choice. There is a wide variety of career paths that you can choose from so you know where your skills and competencies fit the most. Furthermore, most in demand jobs not just in our country but also worldwide are inclined with STEM.
How would choosing STEM land you a good job?
As shown in the picture above, STEM related careers or profession are among the highest paying jobs in the Philippines. This is a clear evidence as to how choosing STEM in senior high school is an excellent decision to make.
As a STEM student, I hope that I was able to provide you with helpful insights. With all the things I showed you, there is one more thing I want to say. Remove your reservations now and choose STEM!