Science and technology minister Mosubudi Mangena has called for redoubled efforts to attract African and girl learners to science and technology.
Addressing the South African Association of Science and Technology Educators (SAASTE) conference in Nelspruit last week, the minister said there was still a "pitifully low number of African and women researchers, scientists and technologists in this country".
He noted that the SAASTE conference came at a time when the Department of Science and Technology, and the National Department of Education had 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. He called on SAASTE to support the implementation of these strategies.
"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."
Mangena said the success of the envisaged science centres depended largely on the availability of high quality human resources to deliver an effective science system.
He also called 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."
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