STEAM Rather Than STEM? Reconsidering Educational Reform in Sri Lanka’s School System

Abstract

Debates concerning the relative merits of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education have intensified globally, particularly in developing knowledge economies. While STEM education has been widely promoted to enhance technical workforce capacity, some scholars argue that the exclusion of the Arts may limit creativity, interdisciplinary thinking, and cultural responsiveness.
This study critically examines whether STEAM constitutes a more contextually appropriate educational framework than STEM for Sri Lanka’s school education system. Using qualitative policy analysis and secondary empirical review, the study analyzes national education reform documents, published research, and pilot program reports. Findings indicate that STEAM aligns more closely with Sri Lanka’s cultural–civilizational heritage, learner diversity, and emerging innovation needs. However, implementation challenges—including teacher preparedness, assessment reform, and infrastructural inequality—remain significant. The study contributes to global discussions on postcolonial curriculum reform and interdisciplinary education by situating STEAM within a South Asian context.