Turning curiosity into careers through STEM exposure

EACH year, National Science Week invites South Africans to reflect on the role of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in shaping the nation’s future.

- GETRUDE MAMABOLO AND RAHEEMAH BOOMBERG

But as we celebrate innovation and inquiry, we must also reckon with the fact that many young people across the country still experience STEM as a distant concept.

At Seriti Institute, we see STEM not just as a field of study but as a lifeline for youth in under-resourced communities who are eager to unlock opportunity, purpose, and participation in South Africas changing economy. Our UNICEF-STEM: Awareness and Engagement Programme is one such intervention designed to bridge that gap.

Despite growing recognition of the importance of STEM, South Africa continues to face deep structural challenges: Many public schools still lack essential STEM infrastructure - for instance, more than 18 000 lack laboratories and nearly 15 000 lack computer centres.