Local students are being urged to not only be passive users of science but rather seek to be contributors to creating knowledge for science and humanity. This call was made by Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Dr. Frank Anthony, as he addressed a gathering of students at the Sagicor Visionaries Challenge finals at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall on Saturday.
“I think that once given the opportunity and guidance you will be able to do this,” said Dr. Anthony of students being contributors to Science and even Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
And according to him, the Sagicor Challenge could be viewed as a starting point for students, coupled with the fact that the Ministry of Education has introduced in schools across the country, Science Clubs.
The Sagicor Challenge is one that takes the form of a competition among students who utilise Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) to create solutions to address issues within their schools or environments.
Moreover, Dr. Anthony noted that “I am sure that through the Science Clubs we will have a more sustainable way of developing these projects.”
According to the passionate Culture Minister, “Science is a wonderful thing and I think without Science a lot of what happens in the world cannot happen…we interact everyday with Science yet, sometimes, we are not very conscious about how it works and we need students to take cognisance of this because it is very important.”
He added that local students are well on their way to realising this goal, as he lauded the projects entered into the Challenge this year. According to him, “I am impressed not only by what I saw, but the concepts and ideas that have been put forward, and I think if we can see some of these projects materialised then some of the problems that are facing us as a country, we can use these solutions to solve the problems.”
His assessment of the projects also helped him to conclude that the projects that were on display Saturday, not only showed innovation but showed that they (students) spent quality time to ensure that they produced workable solutions. The winning project was a paddy processor produced by students of the Abram Zuil Secondary School of Region Two, East Bank Essequibo.
The project emphasised how paddy husk (the shell of rice) could be processed into wooden form that can be used for the purpose of making ceilings, furniture and other products.
There were also several other innovative projects that have relevance to the society. And according to Dr. Anthony, the projects indicate that “…they (students) talked about the problems that are confronting their schools or their societies and researched it… and when you talked to them about their methodology you get a sense that it is not just somebody putting this thing together, but they spent time researching the problem and then fashioning a solution, and I think that augers well as we move forward.”
He therefore noted that while in the past students graduated from school with a number of subjects but still lacked skills suitable for the world of work, the knowledge gained through initiatives such as the Challenge, will ensure that students are able to translate book knowledge into practical application. “I think what you have been seeing over the past few years is quite remarkable,” said Dr. Anthony as he alluded to Guyana’s involvement in the Sagicor Challenge which was first introduced in these parts in 2012.
“What we have to do is keep working on these projects, continue developing them and perhaps even testing them out in your communities; I want you to move to the next step and try and implement these things because they can be implemented,” Dr. Anthony told the students.
In fact, he pointed out that in this age of considerable advancement there are many fields that are opening. Moreover, he noted that focus should no longer remain on the micro level of technology, for instance, but rather efforts should be made to embrace nanotechnology. “We need to have people who can innovate in some of these areas, when we think about the explosion of digital technology. We would like to see some young people using social media but we (also) want you to make the applications that others have been using on social media and the internet and I think you have the ability to do that,” Dr. Anthony told the participating students.
Source: https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2014/12/04/culture-minister-urges-students-to-be-contributors-to-science/