| Exhibition promotes science education | Send to a friend |
| Monday, 30 August 2010 16:57 |
 By Joseph MtebeScience is a necessary part of an educational system, something indispensable to students. But it should be taught in a way wherein it doesn't become a mental load. A wonderful way of doing so is to organise exhibitions to promote science. This is one of the main objectives of a two-week science exhibition that is currently taking place at the Alliance Francaise in Dar es Salaam. A variety of illustrations greet you as you step into the Alliance Francaise hall. Though the venue is familiar, today it looks different. There are stalls all over the place, and groups of students from the Dar es Salaam International School. Save for the frequent influx of visitors, the hall would give you the impression of a laboratory. But it’s not anyway. It’s an interactive and educative exhibition under the theme ‘The earth’s future is in our hands’. It sounds all ‘Greek’ to me at first, but thanks to the guiding tutors, I somehow manage to fit in. One group of students is being guided through soil theories while the other is doing experiments on soil erosion. On the far corner, a few other students are dealing with ‘discover your origin’ rock identification and telemedicine. The event, organised by the French embassy in collaboration with the Alliance Francaise and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, will be held for two weeks. It started August 24, and will end September 6. According to the organisers, the idea behind the exhibition is to promote science education among students, as well as highlight the contributions of science to sustainable development. For over a decade now, there have been efforts by the government and donor partners to promote the learning and teaching of science subjects in Tanzania, amid concerns that most students at O- and A-levels were avoiding taking up science courses. Apparently, slow progress has been made, if figures of university students studying sciences compared to those studying arts and business courses are anything to go by. Promoting science Jihane Giraud, the science attaché of the French embassy in Tanzania says they have been proposing more similar events that are useful in efforts to promoting science in the country. “Right now, plans are underway to bring other events about bio diversity,” she told Education during the exhibition last week. This year’s event is meant to provide students and the public with alternatives to energy, says Abel Shuma, an official of the Alliance Francaise. “The various experiments try to illustrate solutions offered by science to remedy the most alarming ecological and human disasters,” he says. There have been concerns the world over, whether it will be possible to reconcile economic and social progress with the preservation and restoration of nature’s balance, he explains. In the exhibition hall, various illustrations highlight the contribution of science to sustainable development. The idea is promote development that meets the present needs without compromising the future generations’ ability to meet theirs. “Three pillars of sustainable development are the protection of the environment, social and human development and economic development.” Students learn from the various illustrations revolving around the three areas, and perform some experiments. The whole exhibition has three basic parts. The first part discusses the idea that any damage to the environment affects less privileged populations the most. In the second part, students try a hydrogen fuel cell. Can it become the energy of the near future? To answer the question, the students perform a number of experiments, including solar cooking. The final part is about responsible management of resources. Five major extinctions have marked the evolution of life on earth since its appearance 3.8 billion years ago, the students are told. But do the students who participate in science fairs have a more positive attitudes towards science? Yes, experts say science fairs do increase positive attitudes towards science when students participate in science fairs. A Form Two student at the Dar es Salaam International School, Ally Mgahiwa says she has learnt a lot from the science exhbition, and hopes the lessons will be vital in her studies. Ends Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites           |
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