Following the introduction of the National Science Coordinator, Mrs. Petal Jetoo, who is based at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD), and an increased focus on the sciences by the Ministry of Education, Jetoo has said that the short term recruitment of specialist science teachers would be necessary to enhance the delivery of science subjects in schools.

National Science Coordinator, Mrs. Petal Jetoo

Director of NCERD, Mohandatt Goolsarran, has reinforced this.

Subsequently, Voluntary Service Overseas, at a request from Mr. Goolsarran, has agreed to “provide science experts to build capacity in order to develop the sciences.”

According to Goolsarran, this initiative came after an assessment of the capacity of schools across Guyana to deliver Science and Information Technology to the numerous interested students.

He also stated that the schools are in need of updated science laboratories and workshops for Information Technology and also highlighted that the acquisition of laboratory equipment and chemicals are being facilitated.

Jetoo, who was also a chemistry teacher at the St. Stanislaus College, added that in addition to the current measures taken, an arrangement with Chile will see a representative from the University of Chile, Dr Pilar Reyes, an external facilitator, visiting Guyana to conduct a Primary School Science teachers’ workshop.

“This initiative which is still in the pipeline, will enable primary school science teachers to be exposed to a ‘hands on’ approach through the Enquiry Based Science Education, an interactive and more involved teaching approach when dealing with the sciences,” Jetoo explained.

Sharing her experience at a similar conference in Trinidad, Jetoo noted that science communication plays a crucial role in capacity-building in science, technology and innovation, as well as in the implementation of related policies.

Explaining the Enquiry Based Science Education teaching approach in Grenada. Here are Dr Pilar Reyes, left, and teachers

She added that the goal of the conference was to support national and regional capacity-building in key areas of science communication, which will lead to enhanced public engagement, greater networking among individuals and organisations, and increased media interest in, and coverage of, science and technology issues.

Jetoo stated that limited public participation in Science and Technology Information results in lagging of policy development, slower uptake of technologies, and reduced investment of resources.

However, she said that effective science communication would address the fundamental barriers that stand between researchers, policy-makers and the public, barriers that create resistance and limit the absorption of scientific information.

“One of these barriers is the irrelevance, real or perceived, of scientific information to the direct concerns and needs of people who simply want immediate improvement of their daily lives. Constraining factors are not always caused by willful ignorance or hostility, but often by core conditions, such as poverty, lack of good public health, lack of economic infrastructure and lack of basic education,” she posited.

“If persons are not aware of the benefits of Science and Technology Information, then they would be not be interested, which is why we, as science educators, are promoting early awareness in schools,” Jetoo posited.

She said that ignorance of Science and Technology Information is likened to having a cell phone and not knowing the benefits of it.