An Alternative Reading for STEM (h-STEM): From Market-Driven Education to Human-Centered Education

Abstract

This paper proposes a critical re-examination of the traditional STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) educational framework and presents an alternative interpretation that prioritizes human values over market demands. While traditional STEM education has inclined to produce technical professionals since its formal conceptualization done by the National Science Foundation of the United States in 2001, this approach has inadvertently created an educational paradigm that serves capital market economies rather than holistic human development. This paper argues for a re-conceptualization of STEM as Solidarity, Tolerance, Empathy, and Mindfulness, a framework designed to foster sustainable, inclusive, and humanistic education for the 21st century and beyond.