Sign of the times: sacrificing science education

Education in Science and Technology should provide students with the skills needed to analyse the opportunities and challenges of modern science and technology. Advances in science and technology present modern society with some of its greatest opportunities and some of its greatest challenges.

On the one hand, the products of the science-based industries seem to promise a great deal in the way of economic and social well being. On the other hand, at least some of these products provoke popular concern, such as the current debate over genetically modified foodstuffs.

How are scientific advances and their corresponding popular concerns, when justified, be translated into political action? How can the government in our small country respond to an era of global corporations and the Internet?

The answer lies in the University providing the necessary expertise in science and technology. This can be achieved if academic themes for study are offered which closely connect the research studies of academics to the country's needs.

The University has to provide substantive expertise in the areas of biomedicine and health, processes of technological innovation, environmental issues and not least in the public understanding of science. Students need to receive an education in science and technology responding to the signs of our times with special reference to the life sciences and communication technology. The public need to realise the importance and the utility and relevance of the skills and knowledge acquired through a science and technology education.

If one had to examine the budget allocation to the progress of science and technology at the University one would immediately realise that such resources are grossly inadequate. The cost of one single instrument for chemical analysis may easily reach Lm250,000. Considering that, for example, the Labour Party is proud and keeps on harping that they will allocate some Lm1.5 million to all students needing to study abroad may at first sight appear to be a large sum. But a closer look at it from those who tackle today's needs will soon expose the lack of preparedness for the realistic financial dilemma that faces the University's science and technology areas if Malta does not join the EU.

Incidentally, this is a clear sign that Labour lacks, in its rank and file, professional economists and accountants. (University economics students with Labour sympathies may wish to note this). No wonder no single economist - as the Prime Minister repeatedly states - supports Labour's EU stand.

It is clear that there is no way we can cope on our own with the expenses that an up-to-date science and technology education needs. This points out that the only option open to a Labour government would be to diminish science education at tertiary level as happened when Dr Alfred Sant was connected for about a year with University admissions and the selection of students. And if he was not personally responsible for denying admission to the Prime Minister's son, many remember those times for the denial of science education at tertiary level to all when the science faculty was closed down on the excuse that the money available would be better spent in other areas such as primary education.

One can already get the hint that this could repeat itself when reading between the lines of the MLP's election manifesto. Probably science education at a tertiary level will have to be sacrificed for other needs such as primary education if Malta would be denied EU funds.

Now the EU has already provided close to €2 million to equip just one government scientific laboratory whose facilities can also be made available for student training. Can anyone from the MLP tell us how they intend to finance science and technology education if one is denied the vast resources of EU funds allocated for this purpose?

Will they close down the science faculty again because this would play third fiddle to other needs? If Labour's answer is no, then can they tell us how one is going to finance this expense? There is no denying that science and technology education is an expensive venture. These are the signs of our time: a threat to science education.