Challenges facing Africa
Africa is one of the world's richest regions in terms of natural resources, yet has seen little of the profits from their exploitation. 33 of the 48 least developed countries were in Africa (very alarming……its what I call ridiculous)Africa is blessed with vast mineral wealth, great agricultural capacity and rich diversity of plants and animals. Yet, as the market value of these commodities declines, Africa will need to stimulate the manufacture of value-added products in order to compete in an increasingly technological market place. AND THIS WILL MEAN MAKING A COMMITMENT TO SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY!!! According to UNESCO's 1998 World Science Report, "_ Africa will be unable to rise above its current level of poverty without pursuing manufacturing more purposefully. Doing that will necessarily require greater focus on industrial research and development...". And because Africa's main resource to carry it through the 21st century will be the creativity of its people, which is where we all come in. Available figures suggest that as many as 30,000 Africans holding Ph.D. degrees are living outside the continent. Students who are able to find employment abroad leave, while some of those trained abroad do not return. This is a major concern for me because, before many of us travel abroad, we had boasted on how we are going to change our country, impact Africa and when we get there, we just lost it. Partly because of our exposure to things on a global level and the being faced with the fact that those back home are behind and that we cannot relate with them on the same level. We perform ground breaking research, serve as prominent lawyers, accountants and doctors to foreigners simply because Africa has no resource or room for development for us and cannot serve as a backbone for our new status and achievement and cannot in anyway sustain or nourish it. I CALL THIS BRAIN DRAIN!!!!! Simply because someone else is getting credit for all our efforts and still have the gut to call Africa non existent in terms of global presence. NOW IS THE TIME to step up for ourselves, help our brothers and sisters back home in the journey to global competitiveness. Strengthen their level of numeracy and literacy (and notice the word “numeracy”, it stresses the need for indepth knowledge of mathematics). A 1992 study estimated that Africa counted only 20,000 scientists and engineers, or 0.36 per cent of the world total ( I find this alarming for one out of seven continent in the world). According to another study, Africa was responsible for only 0.8 per cent of total world scientific publications. Its world share of patents is close to zero.In Japan, the United States and Europe, there are between two and five scientists and engineers per 1,000 population. Parts of sub-Saharan Africa have only one scientist or engineer for about every 10,000 population.One of the most serious challenges for education in Africa is obsolescence. Training curricula and facilities lag far behind those in other parts of the world. It is common in Africa to see science classes with students taking turns to use a handful of microscopes and other instruments, if these are even available. In some cases students have to pay for essential materials themselves.
In conclusion, Science is not a luxury or an add-on. It requires a supportive cultural environment which includes YOU and I as youths who have the opportunities to get an international experience and education. Now is the time to act! The problem in Africa can only be fixed by its own people.
In conclusion, Science is not a luxury or an add-on. It requires a supportive cultural environment which includes YOU and I as youths who have the opportunities to get an international experience and education. Now is the time to act! The problem in Africa can only be fixed by its own people.
