Africa needs science centres

Lazarus Sauti

Álvaro Sobrinho, Chairperson of the Planet Earth Institute, an international non-governmental organisation and charity working for the “scientific independence of Africa” believes science is enjoying a renaissance on the African continent but warned that African countries need to deepen their commitments and broaden their horizons if the continent is to fulfil its promise.

This commitment, Sobrinho says, should take in the establishment and promotion of science centres as they are vibrant hubs of social-economic development in any country.

Science centres can promote a positive view of science, and they can help policy decision makers on the African continent to engage young people in important science-based issues that cross political, economic, social, technological and geographic boundaries.

Unfortunately, across Sub-Saharan Africa, South Africa with a respectable 35 science centres is one of just two countries with science centres ‑ the other is Namibia. This increasingly demands African countries to embrace science and technology as part of their development strategies.

Because of this, Dr Graham Durant, director of Questacon, Australia’s National Science and Technology Centre based in Canberra, says Africa seriously needs science centres to stimulate a love of learning and motivation for generating technological knowledge through hands-on engagement and inspiration. Sharing same views, Gibson Mandishona of the Harare Institute of Technology – a Zimbabwean university that offers courses mainly in technology, says: “National science centres of excellence can be established to act as virtual institutions encompassing networks of scientists working on developmental programmes. They can also stimulate industrial revolution in Africa.”

According to Professor Mohamed HA Hassan, Chair of United Nations University, co-chair of Inter-Academy Panel (the global network of science academies) and former Executive Director of the Academy of Sciences, science centres are the places that delight the young; and linking them and science centres is therefore key to creating solutions that will sustain Africans across the generations.

Since Africa is facing unemployment challenges among the youth, establishing science centres is one sure way to negotiate and set free the potential of young Africans. This is so because science centres, according to former South African minister of Science and Technology, Naledi Pandor, are one of the most effective means available to help youth reach their full potential in an informal learning environment.

“There is no doubt that a network of science centres would unleash the potential of millions of young African people, and promote science awareness on a continent that is rapidly embracing the digital age.

“We also value the role that science centres play in teacher empowerment and in training mathematics, science and technology teachers on the best ways to bring their subjects to life in the classroom,” Pandor said, adding that science centres can play a major role in encouraging the youth to follow careers in science and technology, and to know which career path would suit them best.

The time is now for countries within and across Africa to embrace science centres as this is the only way to achieve sustained economic development through science and technology-based initiatives that are led and driven by the African people.

Consequently, Africa must invest in its people, build the necessary infrastructure and provide an enabling environment that encourages member countries to nurture and produce new scientific and technological products pertinent to Africa’s development priorities.

The key should also be to create a culture of scientific research, innovation and entrepreneurship that is embedded in all aspects of human capacity development. Furthermore, investments should be in areas of science and technology, biotechnology, building indigenous knowledge, and technology associated with climate change.

Africa is a resource endowed continent; therefore, funding should not be a challenge. In fact, African governments should use resources available in their respective countries to establish science centres and improve the livelihoods of citizens.

After establishing science centres, there is also a need for African countries to strengthen and expand the scope of activities at universities and research centres where public outreach initiatives, such as those associated with science centres could be placed within existing institutional frameworks.

Frankly, science is first and foremost a public good. Therefore, it must be engrained in societies as something that can provide answers to societal problems. This means stakeholders in the science fraternity should work together to raise public engagement, access and awareness of science at all levels.

Senegalese entrepreneur Mariéme Jamme warns: “Science is everywhere in the African continent, but Africans do not have access to it; they do not understand it and it is just not something people talk about.

“Therefore, Africans must seek to change this, and fast, to educate and inspire its booming younger generations to appreciate and value the role of science.”

Science centres, according to Nick Ishmael Perkins, Director, SciDev.Net ‑ a not-for-profit organisation and the world’s leading source of reliable and authoritative news, views and analysis on information about science and technology for global development, are expensive and require long-term planning. Therefore, policy decision makers in countries within and across Africa must effectively plan and take responsibility for Africa’s scientific development.

“The processes, technologies, institutions and ideas that make up this development must be led, owned and specific to Africa and Africans must embrace them,” sums Perkins.