ADAPTATION POSSIBILITIES OF THE STEM APPROACH IN THE NATIONAL EDUCATION SYSTEM

Abstract

This article examines the conditions under which the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) approach can be meaningfully integrated into a national education system rather than merely borrowed as a foreign model. The author argues that the value of STEM lies not in the mechanical combination of four disciplines but in a pedagogical logic that connects abstract knowledge with real-world problem solving. Drawing on comparative educational experience, the study identifies the principal obstacles that hinder adaptation, including rigid subject boundaries, teacher preparation gaps, uneven material provision, and assessment systems that reward memorization over independent inquiry. It then proposes a set of adaptation mechanisms grounded in the cultural, linguistic, and economic realities of the national context. The central conclusion is that successful adaptation requires selective localization: preserving the inquiry-based core of STEM while reshaping its content, language, and delivery to match local needs and capacities. The findings are intended to inform curriculum designers, teacher-training institutions, and educational policymakers.