Date: 08/07/2004
Source: Ministry of Science and Technology
Title: Mangena: SA Science & Technology Educators conference
ADDRESS BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, MR MOSIBUDI MANGENA, AT THE SOUTH AFRICAN ASSOCIATION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATORS (SAASTE) CONFERENCE, Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, 8 July 2004
Programme Director
MEC for Education, Mr S Masango
The Head of Education, Dr M T Mashinini
The Mayor, Mr I Khoza
President of SAASTE, Ms V Mkhwanazi
Members of the SAASTE Executive Committee
Members of the Local Organising Committee
Members of SAASTE, Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
I vividly recall the enthusiasm and the excitement that greeted the birth of this new force in science and technology education at the University of the North in 2002. Indeed it was heart warming to witness so many educators actively participating in such a vibrant science and technology education conference.
I learnt that the journey you travelled to establish the South African Association of Science and Technology Educators (SAASTE) was protracted and energy sapping, but this painstakingly slow process finally yielded an Association that would use the resources of all our people to build a democratic and equitable science and technology education system. The fruit of your toil is for all of us to see. With your sacrifice, dedication and commitment, you made SAASTE a reality. And this conference has been convened to celebrate this achievement, which comes at a time when various sections of our population celebrate and reflect on our decade of freedom and democracy.
Your conference also comes at a time when the Department of Science and Technology, and the National Department of Education have formalised a collaboration agreement as well as plans to achieve the objectives of the National Strategy for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, and the Research and Development Strategy. The time is ripe for you to support the implementation of these strategies.
Your Association is exemplary in the way it bridges the historical racial, ethnic and gender divides. At the head of your association is an African woman who is among those who are proving wrong the Sepedi adage, "tsa etwa ke ya tshadi pele di wela ka leope". We would like to thank your President, Ms Mkwanazi, for her vision and leadership. She has developed SAASTE into a force to be reckoned with in science and technology education. The organisation, though still in its infancy, has come this far because of her leadership and she should be applauded for this achievement.
We are witnessing similar silent revolutions elsewhere in our country. The Association of Mathematics Educators of South Africa (AMESA) is another outfit headed by a woman. We are witnessing more Africans and women winning Awards in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education. This is a remarkable feat indeed.
However, we still have a pitifully low number of African and women researchers, scientists and technologists in this country. We, therefore, should double our efforts to improve participation and performance in science, especially among African and girl learners. None are better placed than you to identify, guide and nurture those learners with potential and talent in science, and provide them with relevant information to make informed career choices.
Various activities initiated by the Department of Science and Technology are already exposing more youth to science and technology. A large number of our youth are already participating in activities such as the National Science Week and programmes offered by Science Centres such as science expos, clubs, fairs and supplementary tuition. Studies commissioned by my department show that over half a million people, most of them learners, participate in activities organised by science centres. This is encouraging as it shows that an increasing number of our youth participate in science activities. In the long run this is bound to promote science literacy among many of our citizens, thereby enlarging a pool of those with potential to pursue careers in science.
The department is conducting a feasibility study on a network of science centres, which we hope to use to achieve the triple-goal of promoting science literacy, improving participation and performance, and providing quality career guidance. Inputs into this study are being gathered through my department's provincial workshops being conducted during this month.
I wish to take this opportunity to invite you to participate in these provincial workshops. Your contributions will enrich the final report that will be presented at a national workshop in August 2004. This national workshop will finalise our policy proposals about the envisaged network of science centres.
The success of the envisaged science centres depends largely on the availability of high quality human resources to deliver an effective science system. You are therefore central to the success of the envisaged network of science centres. You are charged with this important task because you, more than other citizens, spend most of your time with learners.
Your major challenge is to equip all your members with multiple skills to manage multiple revolutions required to lift the African continent. The winds of change sweeping the African continent call for African solutions to African problems. Africans must rely on themselves to make this goal a reality. We can no longer afford to look elsewhere for our own salvation and progress. The fall of the apartheid regime paved a way for the removal of institutional racial exclusion and marginalisation. Gone are the days when the science fraternity remained silent because science was perceived as neutral and apolitical.
We now call for activism in the promotion of science. The new curricula are underpinned by principles of equity, democracy and justice. Historically excluded bodies of knowledge have now become a part of the new curricula. Valuing indigenous knowledge systems is now a principle in science. All these changes pose new and exciting challenges to you, the educators.
Let us grab these opportunities with both hands. As we build this new Association, let us factor into our mission statements the enormous contradictions we are faced with. It is incumbent upon us to take the lead in issues that will lead to our development and success as a nation.
Our White Paper on Science and Technology contains the four pillars we could use in order to build a high performing science system.
1. Building and sustaining structures and processes that support innovation and lead to the well-being for the greatest number of people;
2. Ensuring the development of knowledge, competencies, abilities and skills required to produce innovative products and services;
3. Third, nourishing and supporting the potential and commitment to a common purpose, trust, collaboration, enthusiasm, caring and loyalty. This includes defining meaningful roles for those who are outside conventional work structures; and
4. Building and sustaining relationships, within and without to enhance productive interaction for mutual benefit.
To succeed in these areas, partnerships are absolutely essential. We encourage you to collaborate with bodies with similar aims such as SAASTEC (Southern African Association of Science and Technology Centres), SAARMSTE (Southern African Association of Research into Mathematics, Science and Technology Education), SAASTA (South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement) and AMESA (Association of Mathematics Educators of South Africa). The impact of such a network is immeasurable. Its voice will be able to go beyond the borders of South Africa. In this way our science system would not only make an impact here at home, but would also become a source of inspiration to our neighbours and the continent. This is one of the ways in which our science system could also contribute to the vision of the renewal of the African continent.
SAASTE is well placed to contribute towards this systemic impact. In order to do this it must build itself into a formidable force that continuously nourish and support its members; especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds. In order to achieve this goal, we need to learn from those who made it against all odds in the past, to understand the qualities, which helped them to survive and achieve under past inequalities and discrimination.
South Africa now enjoys a more open socio-political landscape, and offers better opportunities to those who were disadvantaged by the previous dispensation. I invite SAASTE to use the new opportunities in your quest to improve participation and performance in science. In this way SAASTE will be an active partner in building a critical mass of leadership required to develop a sustainable high quality science system.
With these words I wish you well in your deliberations and programmes.
I thank you.
Issued by: Ministry of Science and Technology
8 July 2004
Source: Ministry of Science and Technology
Title: Mangena: SA Science & Technology Educators conference
ADDRESS BY THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, MR MOSIBUDI MANGENA, AT THE SOUTH AFRICAN ASSOCIATION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATORS (SAASTE) CONFERENCE, Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, 8 July 2004
Programme Director
MEC for Education, Mr S Masango
The Head of Education, Dr M T Mashinini
The Mayor, Mr I Khoza
President of SAASTE, Ms V Mkhwanazi
Members of the SAASTE Executive Committee
Members of the Local Organising Committee
Members of SAASTE, Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
I vividly recall the enthusiasm and the excitement that greeted the birth of this new force in science and technology education at the University of the North in 2002. Indeed it was heart warming to witness so many educators actively participating in such a vibrant science and technology education conference.
I learnt that the journey you travelled to establish the South African Association of Science and Technology Educators (SAASTE) was protracted and energy sapping, but this painstakingly slow process finally yielded an Association that would use the resources of all our people to build a democratic and equitable science and technology education system. The fruit of your toil is for all of us to see. With your sacrifice, dedication and commitment, you made SAASTE a reality. And this conference has been convened to celebrate this achievement, which comes at a time when various sections of our population celebrate and reflect on our decade of freedom and democracy.
Your conference also comes at a time when the Department of Science and Technology, and the National Department of Education have formalised a collaboration agreement as well as plans to achieve the objectives of the National Strategy for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, and the Research and Development Strategy. The time is ripe for you to support the implementation of these strategies.
Your Association is exemplary in the way it bridges the historical racial, ethnic and gender divides. At the head of your association is an African woman who is among those who are proving wrong the Sepedi adage, "tsa etwa ke ya tshadi pele di wela ka leope". We would like to thank your President, Ms Mkwanazi, for her vision and leadership. She has developed SAASTE into a force to be reckoned with in science and technology education. The organisation, though still in its infancy, has come this far because of her leadership and she should be applauded for this achievement.
We are witnessing similar silent revolutions elsewhere in our country. The Association of Mathematics Educators of South Africa (AMESA) is another outfit headed by a woman. We are witnessing more Africans and women winning Awards in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education. This is a remarkable feat indeed.
However, we still have a pitifully low number of African and women researchers, scientists and technologists in this country. We, therefore, should double our efforts to improve participation and performance in science, especially among African and girl learners. None are better placed than you to identify, guide and nurture those learners with potential and talent in science, and provide them with relevant information to make informed career choices.
Various activities initiated by the Department of Science and Technology are already exposing more youth to science and technology. A large number of our youth are already participating in activities such as the National Science Week and programmes offered by Science Centres such as science expos, clubs, fairs and supplementary tuition. Studies commissioned by my department show that over half a million people, most of them learners, participate in activities organised by science centres. This is encouraging as it shows that an increasing number of our youth participate in science activities. In the long run this is bound to promote science literacy among many of our citizens, thereby enlarging a pool of those with potential to pursue careers in science.
The department is conducting a feasibility study on a network of science centres, which we hope to use to achieve the triple-goal of promoting science literacy, improving participation and performance, and providing quality career guidance. Inputs into this study are being gathered through my department's provincial workshops being conducted during this month.
I wish to take this opportunity to invite you to participate in these provincial workshops. Your contributions will enrich the final report that will be presented at a national workshop in August 2004. This national workshop will finalise our policy proposals about the envisaged network of science centres.
The success of the envisaged science centres depends largely on the availability of high quality human resources to deliver an effective science system. You are therefore central to the success of the envisaged network of science centres. You are charged with this important task because you, more than other citizens, spend most of your time with learners.
Your major challenge is to equip all your members with multiple skills to manage multiple revolutions required to lift the African continent. The winds of change sweeping the African continent call for African solutions to African problems. Africans must rely on themselves to make this goal a reality. We can no longer afford to look elsewhere for our own salvation and progress. The fall of the apartheid regime paved a way for the removal of institutional racial exclusion and marginalisation. Gone are the days when the science fraternity remained silent because science was perceived as neutral and apolitical.
We now call for activism in the promotion of science. The new curricula are underpinned by principles of equity, democracy and justice. Historically excluded bodies of knowledge have now become a part of the new curricula. Valuing indigenous knowledge systems is now a principle in science. All these changes pose new and exciting challenges to you, the educators.
Let us grab these opportunities with both hands. As we build this new Association, let us factor into our mission statements the enormous contradictions we are faced with. It is incumbent upon us to take the lead in issues that will lead to our development and success as a nation.
Our White Paper on Science and Technology contains the four pillars we could use in order to build a high performing science system.
1. Building and sustaining structures and processes that support innovation and lead to the well-being for the greatest number of people;
2. Ensuring the development of knowledge, competencies, abilities and skills required to produce innovative products and services;
3. Third, nourishing and supporting the potential and commitment to a common purpose, trust, collaboration, enthusiasm, caring and loyalty. This includes defining meaningful roles for those who are outside conventional work structures; and
4. Building and sustaining relationships, within and without to enhance productive interaction for mutual benefit.
To succeed in these areas, partnerships are absolutely essential. We encourage you to collaborate with bodies with similar aims such as SAASTEC (Southern African Association of Science and Technology Centres), SAARMSTE (Southern African Association of Research into Mathematics, Science and Technology Education), SAASTA (South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement) and AMESA (Association of Mathematics Educators of South Africa). The impact of such a network is immeasurable. Its voice will be able to go beyond the borders of South Africa. In this way our science system would not only make an impact here at home, but would also become a source of inspiration to our neighbours and the continent. This is one of the ways in which our science system could also contribute to the vision of the renewal of the African continent.
SAASTE is well placed to contribute towards this systemic impact. In order to do this it must build itself into a formidable force that continuously nourish and support its members; especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds. In order to achieve this goal, we need to learn from those who made it against all odds in the past, to understand the qualities, which helped them to survive and achieve under past inequalities and discrimination.
South Africa now enjoys a more open socio-political landscape, and offers better opportunities to those who were disadvantaged by the previous dispensation. I invite SAASTE to use the new opportunities in your quest to improve participation and performance in science. In this way SAASTE will be an active partner in building a critical mass of leadership required to develop a sustainable high quality science system.
With these words I wish you well in your deliberations and programmes.
I thank you.
Issued by: Ministry of Science and Technology
8 July 2004
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