The impression that science is only for the rich, the clever or the select few should be dismantled, Minister of Education Naledi Pandor said on Monday.
Speaking at the official launch of the Mondi Education Centre at Piet Retief, she said of the 748 000 grade 12 pupils now starting their matric exams, only 48 102 had enrolled for mathematics on higher grade (HG).
Six times as many, 279 000, enrolled for maths at standard grade (SG) level.
”The numbers are slowly increasing, but much more has to be done,” she said.
Enrolments in SG maths demonstrated the existing potential among South Africans, which had to be harnessed.
Strategies to encourage the many pupils who enrolled at SG to consider HG studies, and provide them with the necessary support to achieve success, had to be devised.
The 400 Dinaledi schools, dedicated to improving maths and science education, were central to this strategy and, in January 2007, a new vocational curriculum in the further education and training (FET) colleges would be introduced.
These programmes included three engineering programmes, and information technology and computer science.
Maths was a compulsory in the new national certificate qualification, while physical science was an optional subject.
”Despite the fact that it is optional, it is our intention to promote the study of physical science at FET colleges because it is clear that top-end and skilled jobs require science,” Pandor said.
However, colleges were not able to offer the subject immediately on a large scale, because colleges historically did not offer applied or physical sciences and therefore did not build or equip science laboratories.
A collaborative relationship with the new Mondi facility could provide an opportunity for students at FET colleges to take physical science almost immediately.
”Centres such as these must work towards dismantling the perception that science is only for the rich, the clever or the select few.
”With the necessary infrastructure and facilities the study of science becomes a vibrant and exciting sphere of learning and can open up many career opportunities,” she said.
The challenges of globalisation, and the shortage of relevant skills to compete and sustain the economy in the 21st century, required that pupils followed careers offering them opportunities.
”Today, all careers call for basic knowledge in mathematics and science. On a daily basis we are all forced to make decisions using our knowledge of mathematics and science.
”In South Africa, there is still a shortage of black engineers, scientists and accountants,” Pandor said. — Sapa