As we all know, the latest data on the number of students taking subjects in science at the SPM and STPM level have dramatically decreased in Malaysia and we should be alarmed at the situation. Such a phenomenon of lack interest and decline in science is in fact, a global issue. A recent Australian report says that while the overall number of students attending the 6th form have increased by 16% in the last decade, the portion of these students taking up chemistry, biology, physics and mathematics have declined by about 38%. Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) are drivers of the economic well-being of any country. Mention any industry and product such as the automotive, palm oil, rubber, medicinal/pharmaceutical and others of Malaysia, for example, we will find STEM knowledge and know-how to be the important prerequisites for success. On another note, the world is now facing some serious crises the most critical being climate change. As we speak, the Conference of Parties (COP21) is still underway in Paris. Attended by more than 160 countries including Malaysia, COP21 is regarded as one of the last efforts of humankind to ensure that the world’s temperature will not reach the increment of 2°C by the end of this decade. In our own midst, Malaysians have and will be, witnessing the effect of climate change in the form of unprecedented floods, heatwaves and cyclones, for example. Our mitigating efforts in the context of disaster management seems to be focussing more on preparing food, clothing, medicines, and other emergencies for such events we know, will be a norm in the near and not too distant future, is commendable but not sufficient. We need indigenous wisdom and capacities to be innovative in terms of the tools and ‘know-how’ of, if possible preventing and not merely mitigating the effects of such climate change induced disasters. For example, floods will cause damage to sewage and clean water delivery systems, which in turn will have impact on health. Surely, and Inevitably the STEM based professionals and para professionals will have the prominent and leading role in helping the victims and the country by their inventing and innovating the necessary means and tools. Can we imagine encountering such critical times without the necessary manpower (engineering and techno-scientific experts) to help? This in fact would be the situation if the trend of not mastering science or STEM is allowed to follow its current course. The scenario described above is a summary of the need for science literacy to be massively improved in our society. Not merely do the teachers who teach science have to do their science teaching in a creative way to spark and maintain interest among students in STEM subjects parents too have to encourage their children to pursue science subjects. Besides, as already been proven in France, if properly trained, non-science based teachers especially at the primary level, can successly teach science as well. Granted the career path of those who pursue science in higher education may not be too clear sometimes, but this misperception can be unravelled and cleared up. For example, according to a recent chief scientist’s report, 75% of the fastest growing occupations today actually require STEM skills and knowledge. In other words, students or those entering the job market need to be exposed to STEM content in their curricula at least up to the secondary level.
In reality besides schools and universities, education in science can take place very adequately and successfully via what is known as citizen science. One particular example that has actually been carried out in this regard is via the HEARTWARE approach undertaken by the Asian Core Program (ACP) researches, of University Malaya (UM), the Japanese Society for the Promotion Science (JSPS) as well as IKIM. The focus of the HEARTWARE group was to educate six villages in Kuala Selangor along the Sungai Selangor about the ecology (very much a part of STEM) of the river. The word ‘HEARTWARE’ is significant as the thrust was to make the citizens/villagers residing in the watershed area themselves reflect and articulate the values of the river in and on their lives. Besides the ecological resources being explained to them in simple language, villagers were asked to identify and express their values in terms of the river being the source of their livelihood in the historical, cultural and socio-economic contexts. Whilst doing so the awareness and `hearts’ of the villagers were literally lighted up and they were moved to be conscious custodians of the river and its watershed for their benefit as well as the benefit of the millions of people in the Klang Valley who rely on Sungai Selangor for their water supply. Looking at the rich flora and fauna of Kampung Kuantan further, the attraction of the fireflies (Pteroptyx tener) along the Sungai Selangor is worth highlighting. Lighting up like Christmas trees their habitat, the pokok berembang (Sonneratia caseolaris) in the hundreds of thousands via their synchronous flickerings, the firefly (Pteroptyx tener) community at Kampung Kuantan have become a world class tourist attraction since the 1960’s. To date, only two places in the world are known to be endowed with such a site. The other site lies deep in the jungle of the Amazon. Today, the fireflies are threatened because of the lowering of the quality of the river water which in turn is threatening the pokok berembang which only grows naturally along the banks of the river. In order to empower the local villagers to not merely feel depressed about the declining state of `their’ river which in effect is the pulse of their lives, scientific knowledge was critical. Accordingly, what the researchers involved did was also to create special groups such as Kelab Alami KAWA (Japanese for river) and Rakan Alam Sekitar Masjid (Mosque based friends of the Environment) for example, whose members are given scientific information and the ‘know-how’ regarding the measuring of the quality of the river water, as well as other do’s and don’ts for sustaining the river and its rich flora and fauna. Awareness about how the local households and industries nearby could affect the river system is also highlighted.
The example of the Asian Core project demonstrates how science literacy can be dramatically enhanced when and if scientists/researches can interact with society on the ground and capitulate on local values and knowledge.