When the UK’s GCSE results were announced last summer, many of the headlines surrounded the sharp rise in the number of 17-year-olds leaving education with good GCSEs in English and maths. But look deeper into the figures and you would find further statistics that bodes well for the future of the sciences, including companies in the chemical industry who are concerned at the dearth of new talent coming through.
The figures showed that the number of young people taking STEM subjects, including maths but also science and engineering, had jumped by more than 78,000 in just a year. The figures, released by the Joint Council for Qualifications, showed, compared to 2014:
- maths – up 24,827 (3.4%)
- computer science – up 18,641 (111.1%)
- science – up 20,523 (5.5%)
- engineering – up 1,882 (37.4%)
Overall entries for girls in STEM subjects were also up by more than 30,000, including more than 14,000 in maths. The figures underlined the progress being made by government ministers and industry leaders in their efforts to increase the flow of young people into scientific careers. Among UK education reforms that have been introduced by the Government was a stipulation that all young people who do not achieve at least a C at GCSE in English or maths at 16 should continue studying until they reach that standard. The 2015 figures showed the impact of these reforms. For 17-year-olds and over, GCSE entries in maths were up 30%. As a result there were more than 7,500 more maths passes than the previous year.
America looks for the next generation of scientists
There has been a similar push in other countries, including the United States where President Barack Obama recently announced more than $240 million in new private-sector commitments to help more girls and boys – especially those from underrepresented groups – to excel in the STEM fields. The announcement meant that the President’s “Educate to Innovate” campaign has resulted in more than $1 billion in financial and in-kind support for STEM programmes.
