Empowering STEM education from within: A call for self-reliance in the Global South

Abstract

This paper explores the need to develop a practical and contextually relevant STEM education system in the Global South to equip future generations to participate meaningfully in the global economy and to foster inclusive development. Enhancing access to quality STEM education is important, particularly in Africa, where it is estimated that most of the world’s new workers in the next 30 years may come from. However, persistent underinvestment in education by many governments in the region continues to undermine progress, making STEM education systems less efficient and more vulnerable to external influence. While international support has played a role in advancing STEM education, this paper critically examines its complexities. Foreign aid can accelerate progress when aligned with national strategies, but it may also come with conditions that compromise local priorities, institutional autonomy and disciplinary balance. This paper argues that the Global South must strategically leverage international support while increasing domestic investment, strengthening national policy frameworks, and preserving a balanced education system that values STEM and the humanities. A more self-reliant and critically engaged approach to foreign aid can help ensure that STEM education serves national development agendas without replicating historical patterns of dependency.