The Northern Ireland Assembly Committee for Education is calling for more pupils to get involved in STEM subjects in schools
The Northern Ireland Assembly Committee for Education is calling for more pupils to become involved in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects in schools. This follows the excellent performance by local schools that participated in the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition.
The exhibition is an annual event, open to children aged 12-19 from Ireland. Students submit a short research proposal and, if accepted, showcase their project at the exhibition. The 2013 event received 1879 entries, and was held in Dublin from 9-12 January.
Committee chairperson, Mervyn Storey, said 'STEM skills are essential for a thriving economy. They are naturally associated with research and development, a crucial factor for developing a knowledge-based economy. It is therefore vital that we do all that we can to encourage our young people to take an interest in these subjects.
'The performance by Northern Ireland schools in the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition this year was absolutely first rate and demonstrates the talent that exists here. The science projects varied from the very practical, such as improvements to medicinal safety and help for farmers in developing countries to harvest seeds; to the more theoretical, such as a study of the properties of acrylic glitter in balls of liquid. All of the young people involved were enthusiastic and knowledgeable and represented their schools very ably. All of the participating schools should be very proud of their pupils' achievements.'
He concluded 'Northern Ireland has a rich history of scientific and engineering endeavours. The department of education should be exploring ways of making this known and doing more to encourage our young people to get involved with STEM subjects'.
Related Links
BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition
An annual event open to children aged 12-19 from Ireland
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