This year secondary school science congress finalist will exhibit their innovations and creativity at State House, Prof. Shaukat Abdulrazak, Secretary and Chief Executive Office (CEO), National Council of Science and Technology (NCST) has said.
Abdulrazak said that young innovators need to be given their rightful recognition as their counterparts in drama festivals. He was speaking during this year celebration of world intellectual day in honor of inventors and creators.
This year national congress will be held at Bungoma High School between 8th and 12th June. In the past its only chemistry finalist (three) who received recognition beyond the national exhibition centre by the Pan African Chemistry Network (PACN) which gives them awards and an opportunity to attend their annual conferences.
He said the systems are set for the nation to benefit from next week science week from 3rd to 6th May, where 80 papers will be presented and 25 innovations exhibited at KICC.
The CEO of the government institution charged with the promotion, coordination and advising on matters related to national science, technology and innovation said young people needs to be inspired to pursue science and technology related courses - which is the bedrock of the realization of Vision 2030. “At the moment we producing 200 PhDs in science and technology per year while we need 1000 of the same,” he said.
He added Kenya has 6,000 registered engineers far below the expected number for infrastructure development. The former deputy vice chancellor of Egerton University said that Kenya ranks poorly in its technological readiness placed at 101 out of 139 globally; while in the availability of necessary technology for its development is placed at 82 out of 139.
Prof. Abdulrazak said Kenya has the potential which need right polices to be put in place for it’s potential to be exploited: Kenya’s capacity for innovation is ranked at 52 out of 239, and its quality for research institutions at 54 out of 139.
He said we need to nurture young innovators and creators thus we can stop being consumers of technology and become producers and disseminators of technology. We need to nurture minds that can innovate, produce quality products and market them while sustaining the generation of technology.
He said science, technology and innovation cuts across all identified sectors for economic development in Vision 2030. He added that challenges facing the country should drive innovations that will be an answer to these problems.
He said the government has a challenge to meet the required 1 percent (Sh 10 billion) of its gross domestic product (GDP) from the present 0.3 percent (Sh 300 million). The UNESCO, 2010 report reveals a direct relationship between a country’s investment in research and development with its economic development.
He said this will be accelerated once the science, technology and innovation bill that is with the cabinet will find its logical end.
The NCST secretary said the government, institutions of higher learning, the industry and the society should work closely together to socialization and commercialize science and technology towards the realization of knowledge driven economy – vibrant with science and technology entrepreneurs.
Julius Muia the secretary of National Economic and Social Council (NESC), speaking on a different occasion said they propagated the curving out of the Ministry of Higher Education and hence NCST because the pivotal role of science, technology and innovation without which Vision 2030 will not be realized.
1 comment:
The idea of Science Congress national winners show casing their creations at the State House was put forward by the Inventors and Innovators Association of Kenya(IIAK)
It was an appeal to have it done like the Drama and Music Festival winners.
Our position as an association is that to realize meaningful gains in Inventions and Innovations we need the strength of the youth and the wisdom/experience of the aged people.
We shouldn't over emphasize the contribution of the youth in coming up with new ideas because by so doing we risk overlooking the Traditional Knowledge which is held by the aged citizenry.
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