Government says it will partner with stakeholders in the science and technology industry on the country’s journey towards transformation of the economy.
Minister of Technology and Science, Felix Mutati notes that Zambia has the right prototypes and critical thinkers that are creating solutions ,but that the missing link is how to move the prototype to the market and how to create value.
ZANIS reports that Mr Mutati was speaking at the official opening of the First ever all Africa STEM Awareness Conference in Lusaka.
Mr. Mutati observed that critical thinking and creativity can result in the transformation of the economy that President Hakainde Hichilema has always talked about.
The Minister explained that together with the stakeholders, the government can begin to construct practical solutions using critical and creative minds.
He said it will assist the government answer the key fundamentals that are inhibiting innovators in the country to progress.
“We must begin as a nation, working with the Zambia National STEM Foundation that you are going to anchor something new and that is create not only home grown solutions but be a reference point in Africa,” Mr. Mutati stated.
The Minister noticed a paradigm shift among youths who are embracing STEM by becoming active creators through coding and programming and creating the soft wares.
Mr. Mutati assured of his Ministry’s mission to formulate policies and create the legal environment and resources to work with cooperating partners and the private sector.
And Zambia National Stem Foundation Board Secretary Christopher Mundia stressed the need to invest in STEM in an effort to harness Zambia’s resource potential.
Mr. Mundia said that the market reach for innovation can only expand if stakeholders invest in STEM to pioneer in new and unexplainable fields.
“We need to be key players in STEM to give rise to indigenous technologies, which will ultimately create new and meaningful opportunities we can proudly take ownership of,” Mr. Mundia noted.
Meanwhile, International Labour Organisation, Country Director, George Okutho indicated that the solution to changing livelihoods is through adoption of the transition of sustainable technology.
Mr. Okutho said that STEM could be ideal for acquiring skills needed in the ongoing transformation.
The conference is being held under the theme, STEM-Africa’s sustainable solution to power generation, value and job creation.
MUTATI KNOCK JACK ABOUT TECHNOLOGY! He will need a lot of help to pull this off.
As long as after the technology, ka unga k50 please, please.
It should be easy to digitally transform such a small nation with a small population with good climate and terrain.
First of all be on the forefront and set the strategy and enabling environment and don’t let these mobile service providers dictate the strategy as their preoccupation is huge profit margins that are over 300% of their investments.
I wish Felix a lot of luck and patience in achieving his honourable goal. But as long as proper internet access stops 15km outside Lusaka, and loadshedding will be with us for a long time to come – it will be some time before he can claim success.