STEM Education Discrepancy in the United States and Singapore

One of the hottest topics over the past several years has been science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. The United States is lagging behind in the STEM education rankings as compared to its counterparts in Europe and Asia, including Singapore, ranked second overall in math and science based on the Program of International Student Assessment. Even as such a small country, Singapore has one of the best education systems in the world, one of the busiest ports, and is a leader in the science and technology market. One factor of this is the family life and the culture that education should improve one’s quality of life. Parent involvement and the drive of the student help them to become more apt learners and pursue a STEM career. The government also plays a role in creating an environment where students will become innovating minds in the workforce and help sustain the country’s economy and place in the global market. The education system fosters student’s interests in math and science and caters to different levels of students abilities in order to retain them in schools. All these factors contribute to Singapore having a higher percentage of students graduate from universities with STEM degrees than in the United States