Re: So many issues...
"STEM subjects are highly specialized and expensive, which is why schools struggle to attract specialist teachers and fund the equipment needed."
That was the same argument given when the Junior Technical Schools were underfunded. They were however successful at placing their pupils in craft employment. The privileged Grammar Schools had a poor record for employment of their 16 year old leavers - for whom the staple menial clerical jobs became scarce.
After 1944 the new 11+ Secondary Technical Schools had the same problem. Although often better funded initially - they were soon merged with 11+ Grammar/Academic High Schools for economies - and then with Secondary Moderns to make Comprehensives.
There have since been several periodic wailings about the need for dedicated STEM secondary education - and the solutions have always petered out when the extra costs came home to budgets.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
