If there is one thing that is synonymous with children its their keenness to imitate and their enthusiasm to innovate. Young girls are virtuoso cookers using contextual materials and young boys genius engineers of toys (cars, lorries, millers and buildings). Indeed, Sir Isaac Newton said: “I have been like child playing with pebbles on the shore of a vast ocean,” at his old age while peeping into his contribution in science and mathematics.
Unfortunately our contextual environment plays its inverse proportion with our growth, age. We succumb to watching instead of playing; theory substitutes our practical approach; and listening drowns our beautiful voices.
Any attempt for a youth or an adult to carry over the “ childhood” endeavor is met with: “ Are you crazy to waste time in those childish activities?”
And the aftermath is here; our creativity has gone asleep; our observation is blurred, and our thinking mechanical.
Take this example: We are all electronic gadgets users and electricity consumers; but how many of us dare to buy an Electronic or Electricity literature on their working? The technician is there to fix. We do often fall sick and call for medical services, but how many of us ever attempt to read on human anatomy and physiology for its sake? The Doctor is there to treat us. We live by counting (time, money and distance), calculating percentages, summing up our expenditure; but how many of us have ever taken the pain to enhance our mathematics competency? The accounts are there to balance the books.
The illustrations are many as the demands of this life, but they reflect our neglect what I can call childhood scientific adventures at our own expense as we grow.
“Neglect of science leads to a subsequent dearth of intellectual workers able, in virtue of their independent outlook and judgment, to blaze view trails for industry or adapt themselves to new situations. Where scientific inquiry is stunted the intellectual life of the nation dries up, which means the withering of many possibilities of future development’, said Albert Einstein.
Our negative attitude towards anything science has resulted into what Prof. Ryan called “internal brain drain.” Hence we're consumers of other nations technologies and innovations.
Thus it's a mere dream for the third world economies to take off from their incubation without embracing scientific knowledge and innovation.
Most students seem to pursue various branches of science in institutions of higher learning - not because of their positive attitude towards science rather from the expected “prestige, salary or the probability to secure a job” that goes with it.
If not: why aren’t we realizing the impact of homegrown science based products?
You can be a lawyer with a positive attitude towards science and mathematics- just like Hospital, whose fondness of playing with calculus after work led him to formulate -the Hospital Rule. You can be a theologian like Mendel who sired Genetics. Yes, you can be an entrepreneur and a publisher like Benjamin Flankline who invented the lightening rode. Or a "Mtu wa Mkono" like Bill Graham who engineered the telephone.
We can nurture a positive attitude towards sciences notwithstanding our occupation or field of study. Just like we're football fans without being professional players. Thus giving a live morale to the real players. Inducing the same spirit to coming generations.
In 1986, America realized that its mathematics standards were falling-the then president-Ronald Reagan- rose to the occasion and issued proclamation 5461 that took into account when the rains started beating them coupled with an alarm: “we can not afford to lose a war a against mathematics mastery as a nation.”
"Since its beginning in Egypt and Mesopotamia some 5,000 years ago, progress in science, commerce, and the Arts. We have made astounding strides from the theorems of Pythagoras to the theory of George Cantor. In the era of computer, more than ever before mathematical knowledge and reasoning are essential," it read in portion.
Where is America today? Isn't it a cape of Science and Technology?
Mathematics is a language of science; and all fields of study are mutually exclusive to others. Thus innovations are based on the ability to marry all related areas (knowledge) to come up with a useful blend (product).
Who is to blame for our backwardness?
Our teachers? Prof. Stoffer-a structural Engineer-from USA (visiting lecture at Baraton University and S. Africa), his motto while teaching mathematics and technical units is: “make it simple.” This resonates with Albert Einstein’s humility when his mathematics students approached him: “Go slowly, I don't understand things faster,” he used to follow their argument.
Mr. Johanna Omare of Sameta High School-has embraced a concept of demystifying mathematics and physics concepts into daily dealings and happenings; leaving students challenged to study on their own when they aren't fathoming the contextual content.
Pupils and students whose posture is to understand everything at the first encounter! Without attempting to “go to the basics,” as Prof. Khana - a theoretical Physicist of Moi University will put it: From his experience of working with NASA for 35 years.
Learners who haven't realized that the fathers of science and mathematics were “never at rest with their mechanical devices,” as Isaac Newton was termed in his whole active life-in discovering “the laws of nature.”
Students who give up with their first trial resigning: “ this isn't meant for me.” Without heeding the sagacious conclusion of Einstein: "Geniuses are 1 percent inspired 99 percent perspired.” Yes, that it took more than 700 models(trials) for Ford to arrive at his final model.
Guardians and Parents who are always blaming the teachers without emulating Sonya the mother of Ben Carson who trained him from an idiot to gifted hands; to think big; and to see things from the big picture-becoming a renown neurosurgeon.
Or guardians who have failed to assume to be Jacob the Uncle of Einstein who encouraged him to continue schooling when he wanted to drop from school due to the problematic mathematics. He sacrificed to buy for him journals of great mathematician then.
The Government? Whose practical policies towards science are so poetical; far beyond the homely of Jawaharlal Nehru of India. “The basic approach is wanting here in Kenya: how can you teach science (practical) in an empty hall; talk of Computer Science in every school-while electricity is a night mere?” poses one science teacher in a local school.
From Nehru's foundation, India has more than 1,350 engineering colleges; nevertheless, it's the nerve of IT world over-tapping their best brains through the Indian Institutes of Technology.
Nevertheless,in his epic latter, before his life was nipped in the bud, Ken Sarawiwa wrote: “Africa Kill their Suns.” We need to re-examine how we have (and are) killing our Scientific Suns. Reclaim our childhood creativity, and independent thinking in our educational system.
“Science alone cannot save Africa, but the continent without science cannot be saved,” remarked Prof. Bethwel Ogot in his speech during the International Conference at Egerton University.
No comments:
Post a Comment