President Gurib-Fakim: “Science key in transforming society”

As leaders of tomorrow, students have a big role to play in the transformation of our society and learning science will enable young people to acquire knowledge that can be used as a tool for the advancement of research, development and technology for the benefit of Mauritius and for the region, said the President of the Republic, Dr Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, on 1st July 2016 at the State House, Réduit.

The President was addressing Lower and Upper VI students who have opted for science subjects as their field of studies, as well as other personalities attending a lecture organised as part of a series of Presidential initiatives. Resource persons were two eminent and world well-known scientists, namely, Professor Attar-ur-Rahman, FRS, UNESCO Science Laureate, President Network of Academies of Science in Countries of the Organisation of Islamic Conference and Professor Emeritus, International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi; and, Professor Berhanu Abegaz, Executive Director of the African Academy of Sciences, Nairobi. Professor Attar-ur-Rahman lectured on ‘The wondrous world of scientific discovery’, while Professor Berhanu Abegaz made a presentation on ‘African contribution to science – historical and current’. According to President Gurib-Fakim, students should be taught science since their early age of learning in order to arouse their curiosity, their passion and their capacity to think creatively. Teaching science, she stated, can nurture that curiosity and foster minds capable of thinking critically, differently and creatively. For the President, if young people want to remain relevant and germane in this 21st century, they have to be competent, technically capable and fully skilled, and science can offer them all these possibilities.