South Africa needs to produce more scientists in order to compete in the global academic arena, the National Research Foundation (NRF) said on Thursday.
Speaking at the Johannesburg Press Club, NRF vice-president Albert van Jaarsveld said it was necessary for students to study science to compete with countries such as Germany and the United States.
”We need to produce more scientists. In 2005 only 1 200 PhDs were produced [in the country],” he said.
Van Jaarsveld said South Africa needed to make resources available to students.
”Students are not aware of national and global opportunities,” he said.
He said that one of the issues hampering South Africa’s development was a lack of maths and science teachers at schools. There was also a shortage of researchers in the field of science.
”We need to increase the science profile. We need to create an excitement of science among young people.”
Van Jaarsveld added that most science researchers were over the age of 50. — Sapa