As many scholars appealed, the world has no choice to grow without science and technology. And countries that understand this reality have attached due attention to science and technology sectors. Like many other nations in the world, Ethiopia has been exerting efforts to tap the potential in the stream. Yet, it did not get economic benefits from the sector as such.
This is due to the fact that various innovative works and contests have been held in the nation in a fragmented manner without a long vision of using them to solve national problems. Moreover, exporting innovative works to various nations in the world is what is missing in the innovation strategy of the nation so far. From an elementary school to higher learning institutions, students and professionals are coming up with innovative projects even if these projects have not gone to commercialization and industry.
State Minister of Innovation and Technology Dr. Shumete Gizaw said that there were gaps in advancing the innovative projects coming from the lower education level in the stream earlier.
He highlighted that the ministry is currently working harder to enhance innovative projects from students coming from different training organizations through joint partnerships beyond just rewarding and awarding innovative projects.
Dr. Shumete further said: “We award innovative projects at our annual Science and Innovation Fairs. But we are also providing support to change students’ innovative projects into products and services to benefit the innovators and the country at large” Currently, following the recent restructuring of the ministerial offices in the country as part of the ongoing government reforms, the Ministry of Innovation and Technology has received the mandate to work on innovation by taking it one step ahead which requires an application of science.
According to the State Minister, students usually work on innovations in elementary and higher schools with the simple use of mud, cartoons, papers and wires etc. But now, the ministry is supporting students to realize their ideas through the provision of education and training. He added, “We have already established the facilities to change those innovative project ideas into tangible actions.”
The Ministry of Innovation and Technology has already established incubation centers to enhance such innovative projects by collecting potential projects and give innovators access to an internet, and design software with financial and material support.
Co-Founder of STE Mpower and donor of Scince, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education programs in Ethiopia, Mark Gelfand, commented for his part that working at the grass root level should be taken as a primary task. As to him, all stakeholders need to give prime attention to work on lower educational levels including in the remotest areas of the country. He further exemplified: “It is due to this rationale that we are expanding STEM programs and education across the nation to reach all schools and community with practical education with the target of creating future scientists who would solve critical problems in their surrounding community.
” Briefing the programs that he run in Ethiopia and beyond, Gelfand stressed that the program aimed at inspiring and engaging school-aged children with education in science, technology, engineering, and math so as to equip them to be capable of building a peaceful and developed nation and world of the future.
Belayeneh Tefera, Mathematics and Science Center Director with the Ministry of Education, said on this respect that innovative projects need not be limited to merely exhibitions. “Encouraging the innovative ideas on a regular basis is a key responsibility of all pertinent bodies to change them into reality in a way to advance the economy of the country.” Furthermore, he added that the Ministry of Innovation and Technology, the Ministry of Education, Nongovernment organizations working on STEMpower, the community, and investors among others should come up together to advance the works of these student-innovators. Experts in the area are now claiming that such innovative projects have to benefit the country as they must be exportable to trim down foreign currency expenses.
Moreover, they suggested that such projects have to generate additional foreign currency for the nation as well. In sum, successful commercialization is not only dependent on our actions – the timing and the market situation must also be right. Thus, innovators and other commercial companies must work together to move the sector one step towards the development of innovation and technology. Commercialization requires relentless cooperation between sales, marketing, production, procurement and finance. It certainly needs thinking deeper to help the nation tap better outcomes from innovations instead of merely engaging on organizing Science Fairs and Contests.
Herald December 29/2018
BY ZELALEM GIRMA
