I read the editorial in Times of Malta, ‘Making Science attractive to students’, with a great deal of interest. It is, indeed, worrying that only eight per cent of Maltese students undertook post-secondary science studies last year, which is less than half of the EU average.
It is also very worrying that a Eurobarometer survey revealed the majority of Maltese students find science unappealing.
We know that we are faced with a problem. What is the solution?
The answer is to target younger students. Younger children are inquisitive by nature and curious to experiment with the world around them. That should be conducive to exciting them to do science.
How successful are our schools, however, in providing the proper exposure to science? What can be done to stop students, and their mentors, from looking upon science as ‘boring’ and ‘difficult’? What can be done to popularise science?
The Ministry for Education is focusing on improving formal science education both in the primary and in the secondary sector.
We must also focus on informal teaching methods.
An initiative spearheaded by the Science Popularisation Unit within the Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST), called the ‘Little Scientists’ programme, has led to the setting up of workshops for kindergarten and primary teachers aimed at making them feel more comfortable with teaching science.
‘Little Scientists’ aims at stimulating enthusiasm for phenomena in the natural sciences and encourages young enquiring minds to pose questions, come up with ideas and explore, just like ‘little scientists’.
This is done with the aid of very inexpensive and readily accessible tools. Little Scientists’ House is a German foundation that aims to create a common platform for inquiry-based science in primary education.
MCST is also piloting a project referred to as the ‘Edible Garden Project’. We started this project, with the help of the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, a few months ago and it is specifically aimed at younger students.
The idea is to create a school garden with edible plants and fruit trees to be used as a teaching tool.
The school chosen to pilot the project is the Kalkara Primary School, St Margaret’s College.
We have designed and developed a small garden, converting it into an outdoor classroom, and using recycled materials and adopting permaculture strategies in the planting and maintenance processes.
Since children used to urban settings tend to have less opportunity to play outside, the project will also be providing a fun, outdoor experience.
Younger children are inquisitive by nature and curious to experiment with the world around them
We also aim at targeting the problem of obesity among children by instilling good eating habits. A particular emphasis will be placed on the way human activities influence climate change.
We will be endeavouring to enlist teachers and parents interested in championing the project.
Studies have consistently shown children who visit science centres are more likely to consider taking up careers in science and technology.
MCST has thus embarked on the development of Malta’s first interactive science centre, Esplora, a €26 million project that is co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund.
The Science Centre will be housed in the historic ex-Naval Hospital Buildings on the Bighi peninsula in Kalkara. Restoration works on the majestic buildings, which were in a state of imminent collapse, are in full swing.
Esplora will be offering an alternative, captivating environment conducive to learning.
It intends to complement what is being taught in schools through predominately hands-on exhibits and experiences in an informal and attractive setting.
The views from the centre are breath-taking and the setting is magnificent. That, together with the unique interactive experience, will definitely ensure that families will want to pay us a visit time and time again. Esplora will aim at encouraging and sustaining curiosity for science.
Other activities organised by MCST in the past few months, and targeted at science popularisation, included the organisation of the Malta Robotics Olympiad, in collaboration with the eLearning Department and the Directorate for Quality Standards in Education.
The main objective was to bring young people together in teams and stimulate their creativity and problem solving skills through challenging and educational robotics competitions.
This proved to be immensely popular, and the level of participation was fantastic.
The support we are given by our minister and parliamentary secretary encourages us to strive ever harder in our efforts at popularising science.
An increase in the number of science graduates is vital.
It would be a pity if investors looking for recruits to fill the jobs being created in the sector locally end up having to turn to foreigners due to a dearth of adequately trained Maltese human capital.
Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando is chairman of the Malta Council for Science and Technology.