Essence of science in society

Science and Technology (S&T) are key ingredients to societal growth and development.

This is not far-fetched, because the yawning gap(s) between affluent and poor countries across the globe are largely attributable to the considerable differentials in their pointers.

Science entails the active acquisition of knowledge through curiosity, observation, experimentation and fact-searching expedition.

Technology complements by operationalising it in practical sense(s).

This is a clear symbolic symbiotic interaction between the two.

The UK and France can be said to have benefited immensely from their industrial era in the 19th century.

Similarly, the USA emerged from a typical agrarian economy in that century into an admirable industrial superpower in the 20th century.

From another dimension, Taiwan and (South) Korea registered great strides in micro-electronics technology from the early 1960s.

China, Malaysia, Singapore and India have also emerged as global giants in Manufacturing and Information Communication Technology (M&ICT).

Local situation

Our Ghanaian national efforts at enhancing the study and purposeful application of S&T have been quite appreciable, even though there is still more space for betterment.

On the academic front, faculties and departments in our major universities and polytechnics have consistently metamorphosed into huge colleges and reputable scientific and medical teaching and research institutes over the years.

From the industry viewpoint, the establishment of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)-cum its specialised bodies have been quite exemplary.

(The CSIR was established by NLCD 293 (1968) amended by NLCD 329 (1969) and re-established by CSIR Act 521 [1996]).

The Council’s history dates back to the erstwhile National Research Council (NRC, 1958), which was to organise and coordinate scientific research.

Later in 1963, the NRC merged with the then Ghana Academy of Sciences (GAS) and re-designated Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (GAAS) in 1966.

I need to mention the existence of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC), the Ghana Science Association (GSA), the Ghana Association of Science Teachers (GAST), among others.

From the angle of politics (governance), there is a Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI).

On the social and media platforms, we have the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programme, the National Science and Mathematics Quiz (NSMQ), and the evergreen “What Do You Know?” enterprise on radio and television, glaringly interspersed with many science clinics, excursions, workshops and seminars for students and teachers. 

Benefits

There is an obvious necessity for policy to reap benefits from such investments.

To this end, we must wholly re-orient our society towards scientific reasoning and logical thinking to develop new technologies and adapt existing ones for our livelihood.

Technology must make optimal use of available resources in our environment.

It usually must be appropriate, accessible, manageable, transferable, climate-friendly and within the reach of people.

S&T are uniquely synchronous, symbiotic, complementary, compatible and supplementary.

Without technology, science becomes ineffectual, and without science, technology appears lame and virtual.

Productive S&T education must provide solid foundations for our young people to endure the competitiveness, uncertainties and challenges of contemporary living.

They would also be exposed to the virtues of science, such as being curious, constructively critical, verily truthful, perseverant, innovative, reasonably simple, honourably modest, meticulous, methodological, consistent and realistic in their expectations.

S&T have crucial roles to play in social welfare, agriculture, affordable energy availability, clean renewable energy technologies (e.g., solar, wind, modern biomass), water supply, poverty alleviation, environmental sanctity and public health. 

Significant

The statistically significant and socially relevant epidemiological association(s) between our (human) exposure to vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue, and an increase in our vulnerability to deviant weather conditions such as floods and droughts, and sea level rise(s) due to climate change(s).

S&T policies must be directed at the known (and empirically suspected) major factors through our basic, secondary and tertiary levels of formal education, with the objective of preparing the mindset(s) and attitude(s) of our young people to enter a dynamic, apparently confusing and diverse skill-based labour force.

Above all, dear reader, we yearn for longer, more productive, healthier, wealthier and happier lives. 

The writer is a freelance writer on science and public health matters.

E-mail: wbowusu2021@gmail.com