In his address to Lekgotla delegates, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof Blade Nzimande, listed a few brief points about the topic, “Aligning STEM with foundational learning”.
The first is the importance of investing in science, technology, and innovation as no country can hope to achieve its development goals if it fails to invest in these capabilities. “In astronomy and space science, we host two of the biggest scientific instruments in the world - the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) and the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT). The Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) has used the SKA to support maths and science education in rural towns such as Carnarvon in the Northern Cape, awarding over 300 high school bursaries, robotics programmes, and early childhood development initiatives that are aimed at inspiring the next generation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). We have also awarded over 1,317 research grants and trained over 1,100 students in radio astronomy as a way of creating a pipeline from high school to Doctoral level”.
The second issue is the importance of a future-proof education system. The Decadal Plan for Science, Technology, and Innovation (2022-2032) advocates for a future-proof education. Such an education would focus on digital and future skills for young people, with an emphasis on emerging domains such as artificial intelligence, robotics, biotechnology, and the development of digital solutions, and complemented by soft and cognitive skills such as communication, teamwork, resilience, problem-solving, creative, and critical thinking and practical problem-solving.
The third is the department’s initiatives in support of a future proof education. “We support initiatives to empower learners with digital and future skills. These include our learners’ STEMI Olympiads, which provide learners with an opportunity to engage physically with STEM, whilst helping them to develop cognitive skills, particularly analytical and problem-solving skills. At a national level, these interventions are led by the South African Mathematics Foundation and the Eskom Expo, which lead amongst others, the South African Maths Olympiad, and the International Science Fair”. Minister Nzimande added that, as the DBE increases its focus on ECD, it would be important to think of ways in which the DSTI can help to introduce children to maths and science as part of ECD, as well as assist in providing enabling research support, especially as it relates to STEM activities to expose children to mathematics and science activities at the right age in these important gateway subjects.
As a call to action, he indicated that the education sector should give focused attention to: teacher development to find ways of making the teaching profession the profession of choice; addressing resource disparities to close resource gaps between schools, especially the rural-urban divide; coordination and partnerships to ensure alignment in terms of core objectives; mobilising alumni for former students who are very influential or prominent people in society to go back to support their former schools; and addressing inequality as the greatest obstacle to building a resilient and responsive education system. “I have no doubt that your Lekgotla will produce clear and practical recommendations that will propel our country forward. I wish you a productive Lekgotla and look forward to the outcome of the discussions,” Minister Nzimande concluded.