Taking science seriously
Doing some maths and science homework with my daughter this morning reminded me of how they canboth be fun. It's a real tragedy that for too many children school lessons have become learning the content of the national curriculum without it being fun, exciting or challenging.
Our daughters are lucky, their science and maths teachers are good. But it's no wonder school science is in trouble when there are insufficient science graduates to teach so that almost anyone with a science degree, however poor a teacher, can get a job. Last year our local school advertised twice for science teachers without getting a single applicant. Even the thousands of dedicated and competent science teachers seem to be permanently at war with the demands of the national curriculum and league tables.
How pathetic therefore that the Government seems incapable of developing a strategic plan for science which recognise that science is a public good, that a modern nation without a critical mass of scientists is in deep trouble, and that the scientists we have should be treasured not constantly feel at risk.
Dozens of science departments have closed in recent years. There is no rhyme or reason to the closures other than a very narrow, institutional view, that such departments are expensive to run, don’t recruit as well as other subjects, and on cost grounds must therefore be vulnerable. The market rules.
We need to lobby of course, and we have powerful allies. We have given excellent evidence to Commons Committees. But I wonder if we shouldn't also prepare some major public demonstration - in white coats of course - to show just how widespread the anger and concern of our members is? Are we being taken seriously enough?
What really makes the lobbyist or negotiator powerful is how many people are knocking outside the door
What do you think?
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