Focus On STEM at the Expense of Humanities: A Wrong Turn in Educational Systems

Kleanthis Kyriakidis

Over the past two decades, global educational systems have increasingly prioritized Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines, driven by economic competitiveness, labor market demands, and technological innovation. Governments have implemented targeted policies and funding strategies to boost STEM education, resulting in significant shifts in curricula, institutional focus, and student enrollment. While this pivot has yielded measurable economic benefits, it has concurrently marginalized the humanities—disciplines essential for fostering critical thinking, ethical reasoning, cultural awareness, and civic engagement. This paper argues that the current imbalance between STEM and the humanities represents a fundamental misalignment in educational priorities, with profound consequences for democratic governance, social cohesion, and human-centered innovation. Drawing on comparative data from the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, China, India, and Australia, the paper highlights the funding disparities, enrollment trends, and policy frameworks that contribute to this trend. It further explores the intrinsic and instrumental value of the humanities, particularly in addressing the ethical challenges posed by artificial intelligence, climate change, and social inequality. Through interdisciplinary analysis and policy review, this study proposes integrative solutions to bridge the STEM-humanities divide, emphasizing the need for balanced, inclusive, and ethically informed education systems that are better equipped to confront the complexities of the 21st century.

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