Today, few students pursue science subjects at university in numerous countries. While the complexities involved in studying them and their current relevance are the reasons explaining this trend, several problems, such as slowed progress and reduced scientific literacy, are sure to arise over time unless enough students study them.
There are certain reasons why science subjects are popular among a small number of university students. For one, they are deemed difficult to understand. Studying science subjects necessitates memorizing formulas and facts along with questioning assumptions. For example, Biology requires students to understand various biological processes full of abstract concepts and the same can be said for Chemistry, Physics and Math. Having known the difficulties associated with pursuing such subjects in advance, more and more students decide to avoid learning them at university.
Their relevance to the modern world is another factor behind the declining popularity of science among university students. Some would argue that the lessons learned from them have no practical applications in our daily life. Math can be a good case in point. Only basic understanding of this subject can be valuable in life, which schools can teach. In addition, other modern subjects like marketing and language learning seem appealing to students, as the demand for them in employment is high now, attracting a disproportionate number of students compared to science subjects.
However, the effects of this phenomenon, especially in the long terms, are subject to greater concerns. The benefits of science are highly pronounced in areas like medicine and environment. Medical breakthroughs are by-products presented by scientists. They have played an important part in developing treatments and vaccines for deadly diseases, saving millions of lives. COVID-19 can be a pertinent example. During this pandemic, scientists from all around the world worked together to find a cure or mitigate its effects, stressing the importance of science in helping people stay healthy and live longer.
The positive effects of science extend to environment as well. In a world where global issues, such as climate change and air pollution, have reached epidemic proportions, more people aware of science are important. The individuals with a good command of science tend to be environmentally-conscious members of society, as they know how harmful some human activities are for environment. Also, science prepares scientists who come up with solutions to these problems. For instance, a new farming method, vertical farming, has recently been discovered. This way saves water significantly, meaning when implemented on a large scale, we can conserve water for a long time. Meanwhile, as alternatives to fossil fuels like coal and gas, green energy sources, such as wind and solar have been devised. These breakthroughs are nothing short of significant to maintain the ecosystem clean. However, if a growing number of students were not to study science, it would be impossible to enjoy these benefits.
In conclusion, many students struggle in studying science and question its relevance in both their daily life and employment, reasons explaining why few of them are interested in studying them. However, this situation gives birth to some significant issues in society, for the role of science in critical areas like medicine and environment is indispensable.