The activities at CEMASTEA, in fact, date back to year 2004 with training of teachers, educators and educationists.

Training of the first cohort was conducted between18 January and 14 February 2004. It involved 42 participants from seven countries -- Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique, Rwanda, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Lesotho.

The training of the second cohort was held between 7 November and 11 December 2004. It involved 85 participants from 15 countries -- Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Swaziland, Nigeria, Uganda, Niger, Malawi, Botswana, Rwanda, Burundi, Seychelles, Mauritius, Senegal and Madagascar.

The third cohort commenced training on 7 November until 9 December 2005. Ninety delegates participating in the training were drawn from 14 African countries -- Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cote D’ivoire, Ethiopia, Gambia, Madagascar, Nigeria, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zanzibar.

Scientists, engineers and mathematicians make a large contribution to Africa’s developing economies; from working in the health, industrial and social sectors to protecting the environment and managing businesses of all kinds. Through scientific, engineering, technical and other skills they crucially underpin the developing country’s research, development and innovation performance.

Science, Education and Technology (SET) are vital to Africa’s continuing productivity and prosperity as well as in providing a quality of life for the citizens.

The birth of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) elevated the will to face Africa’s challenges head-on and NEPAD has prioritised poverty eradication and the elimination of illiteracy as its thrust or focal point.

It is, therefore, important and necessary to harness the contributions of SET towards economic growth, development and increased employment, diversification of productive activities, enhancement of international competitiveness and increased African integration by promoting programmes, projects, plans and activities in health, agriculture, education, transport, infrastructure, environment, tourism and other relevant life giving and life sustaining areas.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s) have elevated the need of focused development in achieving the following goals:

Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger;

Achieve universal primary education;

Promote gender equality and empower women;

Reduce child mortality;

Improve maternal health;

Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases;

Ensure sustainable environmental interventions and develop a global partnership for development.

The United Nations Declaration (September 2000) stated: “We will spare no effort to free our fellow men, women and children from abject and dehumanising conditions of extreme poverty to which more than a billion of them are currently subjected.”

Such a statement supports the view that the implementation of quality science, engineering and technology activities may assist in fast-tracking solutions to problems associated with the MDG’s quoted above.

We need also to address the widening gap in the quality of life between the rich and the poor and between urban and rural communities.

The vast majority of the population in Africa live below the poverty line.

In discussions on the outline plan of action during the NEPAD Ministerial Conference on Science and Technology held in Johannesburg, South Africa, factors that hinder African countries from achieving higher scientific and technological development were outlined.

These factors among others include:

Low and declining public and private expenditure on research and development;

Weak links between science institutions and private industry;

Outdated science, technology and innovation policies;

Lack of coherent programmes and projects sharply focused on development and application of science and technology to address specific economic, social and environmental challenges.

An analysis of qualifications of mathematics and science teachers in African countries reveals that the majority of teachers are under- qualified. Some of the teachers, though excellent and well prepared, have taught themselves or followed non-credit bearing courses and therefore have no academic qualifications in mathematics and science.

The general low level of qualification of mathematics and science teachers is alarming.

There is need to reverse this picture by retraining, upgrading, upskilling and providing teacher development and teacher support programmes. There is need to popularise mathematics and science among primary, secondary and tertiary levels to stimulate interest and elevate motivation levels among learners thereby improving quality outcomes.

Continuing innovation is the key to Africa’s prosperity in increasing competitive in the global market. Although not all innovation is based on scientific research and development, the need for creativity in making discoveries, developing new products, innovative services and processes is critically dependent on the availability of scientists, engineers and technologists.

CEMASTEA is intended to improve the quality of mathematics and science education .The popularisation of mathematics and science is another area that would assist to provide broad sectors of the population with the challenge and satisfaction of understanding the universe in which we live and, above all, being able to build possible new worlds.

One of the major challenges facing developing countries is to make mathematics, science and technology an essential part of the national development agenda.

Similarly, the Human Resource Report of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) emphasises the role that science and technology play in the development of the individual and of the country on the whole.

The report argues that: “Technology is like education -- it enables people to lift themselves out of poverty. Thus technology is a tool for, not just a reward of, growth and development.”

A major argument in the report is that science and technology must be prioritised at policy level especially in education and training sectors. Also, to bring life to an environment of technological creativity, people need to have technical skills and governments need to invest in the development of such skills.

“Today’s technological transformation puts a premium on such skills and on the demand for different types of skills. This calls for a rethinking of education and training policies. In some countries systems need an overhaul. In others, a redirection of funds.”

The report argues further that science and technology have implications for the economic competitiveness of the countries that highlights the need for consistent skills training and development in these fields.

Africa needs to have a well-trained mathematics, science and technology workforce in good quantity and quality in order to be an economic powerhouse and to use the latest technological solutions for the eradication of poverty and improvement in productivity levels.

CEMASTEA has been established at an opportune moment, what is needed is support and enhancement of such an initiative.

Mathematics, science and technology education should form and be an integral part of the priorities of the African education systems.

Such an initiative, it is hoped, will receive the attention and support it deserves from African countries in particular and the international community in general.

To the government and the people of Kenya we salute your courageous efforts for providing the resouces for the establishment of CEMASTEA. It is a gesture that will go down in the annals of history on the development agenda of the continent.

By Prof. Mzobz Mboya, Advisor: Education and Training, NEPAD Secretariat, describes the new humanism from an educational perspective – sharing with others