Guardianship in science and technology

Education Minister Louis Galea spoke about the need to establish an authoritative 'guardian' to ensure good conduct in the fields of science and technology.

Dr Galea was speaking during the opening of the Ethics, Science and Society Conference organised by the Bioethics Consultative Committee in conjunction with the Malta Council of Science and Technology.

The conference discussed ethical issues raised by the continuous advances in science and technology.

The aim of the committee is to disseminate information about bioethics among the health professionals as well as the general public.

Dr Galea said that the matter of guardianship has received much attention in the structural organisation of the scientific enterprise, especially with respect to the new genetics and presumed rights of future generations.

Minister Galea wondered whether this role could be a new one for the MCST.

There was huge scope to increase the teaching of ethics in our schools and in higher education.

Recent reforms in the National Curriculum provide for science literacy for all students in the future, Dr Galea said.