Arts Gaining Ground

Dixya Poudel

Arts and humanities are often the most underrated educational choice for students. Instead most students opt for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) as well as business and management subjects. It is because such fields garner higher pay and everyone aims to be financially well-off.  It could lead to higher competition in such fields and lower rates of admission in arts and humanities in universities. 

Young students are mostly advised to follow their passion as success comes to those who strive to fulfill their passion. 

However, it could be contrary because often what people require is an equitable salary until they can afford to follow their true passion. For starters, their utmost priority could be to pay the bills. Money is necessary to pay for expenses whether it is to buy a house, or to simply buy groceries. And subjects such as STEM, business and management pay quite well once the students graduate and land in the employment market.  

On the other hand, arts and humanities get a bad rap, especially in developing nations like Nepal where these subjects earn low pays in careers such as teaching. Young students see the lack of prospects in such fields and they choose to study higher paying subjects even if it means forgoing their passion in life. This decision might as well be an ambivalent one because following one’s vocation might be risky at first but eventually it could lead to higher benefits along with a sense of satisfaction, fulfillment and joy. 

Whether it is music, fine arts, theatre, and literature, students who are creative will certainly find a vocation through the arts and humanities, contributing significantly to their fields. And in a struggle with wages and calling, a fine attribution of balance could be drawn. 

Thankfully, the wheels are now turning as there is an increase in opportunities in the arts and humanities. Even though students who opt for arts and humanities may still have a hard time defending their choice of academia to their family and friends, things are looking up as more and more career options are rising with a degree in such subjects. 

They include a broad range of education that spans social sciences, history, language and arts, enabling the students to learn different views, beliefs, and backgrounds with critical thinking skills, problem solving abilities, and aptitudes to research and analyse. Likewise, interdisciplinary degrees throughout fields such as literature and music help students merge both their passion and career. As seen in the recent years, the number of students enrolling in the arts and humanities are on the rise, especially in the US. 

And on an encouraging note, humanities skills are increasingly sought after on the job market as they have become quite relevant today. Such skills which include critical reading, thinking and writing, debating and so on can be very helpful in a student’s career. 

Communication, creativity, team work, and collaboration are humanities related skills that come handy when it comes to a person’s profession. Even in high tech fields like AI (Artificial Intelligence), such skills are now highly marketable. 

Education is never squandered if it is used for the good and betterment of both the students and the societies. And since arts and humanities contribute greatly to the world, such subjects should be regarded with esteem.