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| Monday, 20 September 2004 |
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Knowledge Train to the future by Chandani Jayatilleke Sri Lanka has to tread a long path to fulfil its objectives in promoting science and technology education. As we reported in these pages recently, Sri Lanka has only 530 schools that offer science subjects in the Advanced Level stream. This means a majority of the students in this country do not get the opportunity to study Science and Mathematics for the A/L examination.
This has been a major cause for the excess of 'unemployed graduates'. Many such graduates lack analytical skills and knowledge of technology which qualities employers give priority to in their recruitment programs. Therefore, there is a critical need to aggressively promote science and technology among our younger generation and encourage them to learn the subject by themselves even if the facilities in schools are limited. Keeping this in mind, the Science and Technology Ministry has launched a mobile exhibition train which displays many scientific achievements, which would be plying to many parts of the country.
Since education cannot be provided only through schools, children need opportunities to grasp more practical knowledge in science related subjects. It is the responsibility of the authorities to provide such opportunities for students. The novelty in this exhibition train is that it enables students in areas where no mode of transport is available (except trains) to gain knowledge in science and its development without having to come to Colombo. The Government has made a pledge to give education high priority in the national development agenda and to promote science related education to the maximum. Hence, the mobile exhibition initiative by the Science and Technology Ministry should be commended. Though many governments in the past made pledged loudly to upgrade science education in rural areas, this area did not get the required focus. According to official figures, Sri Lanka has only 530 schools offering science subjects, out of 2,500 schools with A/L education facilities. Many schools do not have science resources such as good laboratories and trained teachers to teach science subjects. Moreover, about 60% students fail their Mathematics in the Ordinary Level examinations. This alone shows the lack of analytical power in our younger generations. The mobile exhibition train which is currently being stationed at the Ja-ela railway station, will be in Ja-ela till September 20. From Ja-ela, it will leave for Lunuwila and to Puttalam. The train itself has been built in Sri Lanka, using Sri Lankan technology. It was a genuine effort by the two ministries - the officials and the workers who were involved in making this dream train a reality, put their thoughts and energy into this project in unison, according to a spokesman for the Science and Technology Ministry. The train has 14 exhibition stalls, displaying the scientific inventions and scientific knowledge of the National Apprenticeship Board, Sri Lanka Police, Environment Authority, Meteorology Department, Science and Technology Commission, Sri Lanka Standards Institution, Industrial Technology Institute, Arthur C. Clarke Institution, National Science Foundation and Atomic Energy Authority. While the train concept can be highly commended, the Science and Technology Ministry together with the Education Ministry should take more such steps to spread the technologies among rural areas in the country. Economic development in a country cannot be achieved without the introduction of better technologies and better equipment in the rural areas. Hence, Science or Technology should be assertively promoted in villages. The students should be the obvious target. They have the talent, they are keen to learn new things and they are natural explorers. Science and technology can certainly help enhance their future living standards. However, the introduction of the mobile train alone won't fulfil their needs. They need to upgrade their knowledge. They need to display their talents and findings. The authorities should seriously consider these ideas to achieve the targeted results of this novel project. |
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Produced by Lake House |
The Science and Technology mobile exhibition train was opened by
Minister of Science and Technology Prof Tissa Vitarana and Minister of
Transport, Felix Perera at the Ja-ela railway station last week.
