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I
have had significant feedback to some of my recent
comments and, subsequent to your interaction, I need to
make a vital observation, which I would like to share with
you now.
Criticism is an important part of progress. Only a fool fears
criticism.
I feel strongly that criticism, without a desire to contribute to
the source of that criticism, makes the criticism hollow. In other
words, as we reflect on some of the things that really need
to be resolved, we should pause for a moment and ask what
we, or our companies, can do to assist. Following on from my
comment in June, I believe that an excellent example relates
to the teaching of maths and science in our schools, where our
involvement would result in competence amongst our learners.
Our industry is utterly dependent on youngsters with maths
and science competencies (I will leave languages for another
month’s discussion). Indeed, I would argue that in order to
survive and contribute in the modern world, maths and science
competence is essential.
It is overwhelmingly obvious that schools alone are not able
to cope and the facilities, such as laboratories and libraries, at
many of our schools are frankly appalling – if they exist at all.
The net result is that much of our maths and science teaching
is not based on exploration, but rather encourages rote learning
with little or no genuine understanding of the subject matter.
After all, it is by doing that we learn.
The EskomExpo for Young Scientists (
),
an NGO funded by industry (Eskom in particular) recognises
that allowing learners to participate in extra-curricula learning,
where they take responsibility for learning, is one of the most
significant contributions that any organisation (or any one of us)
can make to our country.
The Eskom Expo tells me that our top end is world-class … and
some! It also tells me that, while many of our participants have
come from schools with less than excellent facilities, a lot can
be achieved by ‘exciting’ learners into learning by observing
the world in which they live, and learning from that; more
importantly those learners should then be encouraging others
to do the same.
What I would like to suggest is that we all consider carefully
how we can become involved in such initiatives that are not
only rewarding in a personal sense, but can make one of the
only real contributions to resolving what is, by all accounts, a
national crisis.
The Eskom Expo for Young Scientists is presently engaging
with the Ministry of Basic Education and various Professional
Councils to find ways of improving maths and science education.
With regards to the Councils, because the Eskom Expo operates
over thirty national regions, we are always on the look out for
professionals who can assist as judges, for instance, and even
mentors. We feel strongly that such assistance must contribute
towards CPD points.
The bottom line is – let’s criticise, let’s get involved, let’s help!
Ian Jandrell
Ian Jandrell
Pr Eng,
BSc (Eng) GDE PhD,
FSAIEE SMIEEE
1
July ‘13
Electricity+Control
