Dr. Ruth Freeman:

It is my pleasure to be here today to discuss this vital topic. The committee will have received the written submission on the future of STEM in Irish education from SFI director general, Professor Philip Nolan. That submission highlights the good work being done in Ireland to ensure we have a society that is engaging in STEM. It also puts forward suggestions of areas we believe would benefit from further attention and exploration.

Literacy in STEM is a key aspect of broad literacy and building 21st-century skills. An individual who is not being given the opportunity to understand and engage with STEM is an individual who is at risk of being left behind. Three-quarters of the fastest-growing careers in the world require a background in maths or science. Without access to STEM education, an individual will not only be at a clear disadvantage in terms of their employment prospects. There is an even greater risk. In the absence of an understanding of what STEM means and how it will influence their future and their society, individuals will be unable to participate in a meaningful way in discussions and decisions about what that future might look like.

We must ensure that diverse perspectives have the opportunity to contribute to how we shape our world through technological and scientific advances. While not everyone will go on to be a STEM professional, those that embark on careers in research are an essential component of a knowledge economy. We at SFI firmly believe in the importance of the provision of a stable and secure career track for the academic research community. After all, it is those researchers whom we depend on to educate our students and the same researchers that will make the discoveries that have the capacity to change our world for the better.

We are making progress in this regard and SFI warmly welcomes the review of State supports for PhD researchers, which was brought forward by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Simon Harris. Urgent action must be taken in response to the findings of that review so that our research community is supported in a fair and appropriate manner. A portion of our society is at significant risk of being left behind. Fewer girls take up most STEM subjects, including physics, engineering, applied maths and computer science. Many girl’s schools offer a reduced range of STEM subjects.

Work is being done to address this gap. For example, I Wish, a volunteer-led community, is committed to showcasing the power of STEM to female secondary school students. This passionate group runs an annual showcase event and a survey which is a chance to ask girls what they think about STEM. The organisation's survey shows that female students are heavily impacted in considering STEM careers by three interrelated factors: gender stereotypes; lack of confidence in their own potential to succeed in STEM; and lack of information about STEM options. These barriers can be overcome through deliberate and strategic efforts from early years education. SFI welcomes the guidance on STEM time allocations in the new primary curriculum framework as a good start and looks forward to continuing work with the Departments of Education, Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and other partners to realise the actions associated with the STEM education implementation plan.

We must ensure that our educators are supported. We believe in supporting teachers to develop the innate curiosity of children through a hands-on, inquiry-based approach to STEM and we do this through the SFI’s Curious Minds and European Space Education Resource Office, ESERO, Ireland programmes. We believe teachers should be formally recognised for participating in these and other continuous professional development, CPD, programmes. Not only do we have passionate educators, we also have a passionate research community in Ireland whose members have already demonstrated their willingness and desire to step up and contribute to a national effort, such as during the Covid-19 pandemic. Significant expertise and insight reside within our scientific community across many areas that could inform the direction of Irish education.

The needs of the public should be central to policymaking. Through the Creating Our Future: A National Conversation on Research in Ireland initiative, the Government engaged the public in a conversation about the challenges and opportunities that people see in their lives and the role research can play in addressing them. The findings reflect a call for reform of education, whether at early years, primary and secondary, or in how we deliver postdoctoral education. Many submissions provided suggestions for curriculum additions across different levels of education, including in critical thinking, scientific logic and problem solving.

An SFI science in Ireland barometer echoes this, with a higher level of respondents reflecting that how subjects such as science and maths were taught in secondary school “put them off” the areas. A more recent such survey reflects that 79% of respondents feel capable of understanding science, but only 40% identify as the type of person who could be a scientist. We at SFI are committed to closing this gap in the public’s belief in their role in STEM and we will do this through our wide range of education and public engagement programmes. It is our belief that the gap exists due to some of the above-mentioned barriers related to how STEM is perceived and could be addressed through concerted efforts within the education journey, both informal and formal. Ní bhíonn an rath, ach mar a mbíonn an smacht. Go raibh míle maith agaibh.