School children have fun with science
Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Resources Minister George Pullicino this morning joined hundreds of primary and secondary school students for a hands-on experience of science and technology.
They were attending the Science Festival being held by the Malta Council of Science and Technology to promote science among young people.
Dr Gonzi toured the various exhibits and displays and in a short address stressed the importance of science and technology for Malta’s future economic development.
He said that the availability of skilled workers was a key determinant in attracting foreign investment to Malta and such events had the potential of enticing children towards science subjects.
Science was present in a fun environment where children could feel the ground beneath them tremble during an earthquake simulation while others had a go at creating a thunder bolt in a small glass case.
The schoolchildren also learnt about mirages and pulleys, about how waves were generated and how wind turbines worked. Some got to make their own kaleidoscope while others enjoyed looking at their distorted images in “fat and thin mirrors”.
The festival will go on until Sunday, between 4.30 p.m. and 7.30 p.m. at the University.
3 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
patrick grixti
Nov 25th 2009, 09:03
an excellent initiative so as to promote science. I would only comment on extending the hours during the weekend
Franco Farrugia
Nov 25th 2009, 08:30
I agree: Sciences are very important but we must keep our feet firmly to the ground and realise that not all students are thus inclined, academically. And that therefore, there must be a balance. Otherwise, what will happen is that there will soon be a new kind of 'drop-outs' - that will be a very serious omission because we need humanities, arts, languages as much as we need sciences!
Jesmond Micallef
Nov 24th 2009, 20:13
Indeed, I just cannot agree more. Parents can also do their part here with advice from the teachers during Parents day for example. Parents can observe a childs natural inclination and seek advice how they may contribute to enhance this within the child. Science is abundant wherever one looks, it is our daily life. The educational institutions should also diversify as much as possible, I mean not just investing on the traditionals such as car mechanics or whatever, but also for example boat technology and design, just coming to mind. Nice reading, well done.