Kingston, Jamaica (Jamaica Gleaner) – President of the Mico University College, Dr Asburn Pinnock, has asserted that Jamaica continues to lag behind in the output of students leaving tertiary institutions with training in science and technology because it has failed to make the necessary investments.
“Every country in this world that are doing well today, that we talk about a lot – Singapore, China, Japan, North America, Europe – it’s because they have invested heavily in science and technology. They have invested heavily in human resources, students and in their females,” Pinnock said.
He was speaking at the inaugural Conversations in Science Series hosted by Mico in collaboration with the Scientific Research Council (SRC).
Today is being recognised as International Day for Women and Girls in Science.
The series sought to stimulate interest and dispel the myth that the subject area is difficult.
Female students from primary and secondary schools, accompanied by predominantly female teachers, filled the university’s gymnasium.
Pinnock’s views were echoed by SRC executive director, Cliff Riley, who emphasised the importance of championing science and technology education as part of economic development.
“We have to be an innovative society. We can teach from now till next year, we can extract all the oil in the world – if we fail to innovate, our country will never grow,” Riley said.
Of 129 countries, Jamaica in 2018 was ranked 94 for innovation by the World Intellectual Property Organisation, an agency of the United Nations.
Its Caribbean counterparts, Barbados and Trinidad ranked 42 and 54, respectively.
The day’s activities included exhibitions, science demonstrations, presentations from women in science and a panel discussion with women whose entrepreneurial exploits – makeup products and sanitary napkins – are based in science.
