'Science and Maths - the foundation of current civilisation'

Jeneri B Sagnia UNICEF Education Specialist has said that science and mathematics are the very foundation of our current civilisation.

Mr. Sagnia made these remarks at the opening of a five-day camp for girls in the training of science, maths and technology at the Girls Guide Hall yesterday.

"Our presence here today is, therefore, to give testimony to the fact that maths and science are extremely critical disciplines that have transformed and continue to transform the world, and improving the quality of our lives," he said. These, he noted, are disciplines that all children must undertake in school because they are the very foundation of our current civilisation.

According to Sagnia, the scientific research and its application into usable technology have made it possible for more people to eat better, enjoy better health, travel safely and conveniently, communicate better, learn better and, more importantly, live longer lives.

In the view of the education specialist, it is a nightmare for some people to live in a world without electricity, a transistor radio, a television, a car or any other mode of transportation.

"These technological devices are products of advances in scientific knowledge, which has mathematics as its foundation stone," he added.

Also speaking on the occasion, the co-ordinator of FAWEGAM, Yadicon Njie, said there are some people who still believe that women and girls do not need to be educated, and should not occupy some leadership positions.

Some of these people, she said, should keep them on their toes.

"Am sure they mean well when they remind us of the potential pitfalls regarding the work we do in furthering the development of women and girls," she said.

According to her, these criticisms will be respected, but also be rejected because, as she puts it, their objective is not to upset the social balance in society between men and women, but to remove the injustice that has compromised the lives of women and girls for many generations.

She expressed hope that after ten years, this camp will constitute the basis for the actualisation that these girls they are training will become engineers and scientist so that their jobs would have been done.