With a stated aim “to shape the career paths of students at the school level and to develop them into creative entrepreneurs in the future”, the State government has decided to provide STEAM-based high-tech education to Karnataka Public School (KPS) students — starting in high school.

STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. In STEAM-based education, learning is made more interesting and effective, primarily through experiments, robotics, coding, electronics, model building and problem-solving skills. 

In the prevalent traditional model of education, students read and understand the contents of textbooks and write exams. In the STEAM education system, emphasis is placed on developing skills to solve real-life problems.

“STEAM will encourage students to become creative and work collaboratively in a team. In this model of education, students are empowered to engage in project-based learning. The inclusion of ‘Arts’ in STEAM will enhance the imagination of students, help them with design thinking, and enable them to find creative and innovative solutions,” said a Department of School Education and Literacy (DSEL) official. 

In the future job market, technical knowledge alone will not be enough. Instead, new ideas, design skills, teamwork, and communication skills will be needed. STEAM education comprehensively covers all these aspects and will provide them with basic skills to succeed in even emerging fields like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), cybersecurity, data science, and space technology, the official added. 

As a pilot, robotics, coding, AI, and practical learning are already being emphasised on at the KPS in Kalasa, Chikkamagaluru district, with the help of the Atal Tinkering Lab (ATL). Henceforth, all KPS will focus on STEAM-based education modules, officials said. 

Vikas Kishor Suralkar, Commissioner for School Education, said measures are being taken to make suitable changes to the curriculum to implement STEAM-based education in KPS. “This will help students develop the skills required for the future job market,” he noted.