January 9, 2006	Monday	Zilhaj 8, 1426

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ISLAMABAD, Jan 8: Experts on Saturday called for creation of education cadre in civil service and inclusion of morality and ethics in science education. Apprehensive of the misplaced emphasis being laid on science learning, one of the experts called for teaching morality and ethics.

“All that rush to catch up with the West in science and technology advancement makes it a duty for us to write a perspective plan about what we should achieve with the acquisition of such awesome knowledge”, said Dr Inamur Rahman, a retired Pinstech scientist during a talk at the Pakistan Scientists Club on Saturday.

Dr Rashid Khan, president of the club, also announced that the PSC was celebrating its 250th monthly meeting since its inception in 1970.

A 25-kilograms cake was jointly cut by the senior-most scientist Dr Hasinuddin and the youngest member Dr Nadir Chaudhry.

Dr Rahman observed that “science is neither good or bad, but we must determine what we wish to achieve with the knowledge”. He said the moral aspect is missing in science teaching in Pakistan.

“An individual feels justifiably frightened, because scientific advancements have placed society in the throes of greed, as well as transformed the economy of need to one of economy of acquisition.”

However, Dr Rahman, said lofty giants of science world had realized their mistake that science may have created phenomenal miracles but after the discovery of the nuclear energy in 1939, it had branched out on destructive paths.

They had seen through potentials of mass destruction weapons, of an enormity of 50,000 nuclear missiles in the world, with four tons of detonation materials aimed at each individual in the world.

Even the renowned scientist of the 21st century, Stephen Hawkings had revised his thinking and has advocated a philosophy that ‘knowing something would forever remain unknown.’

The next talk was given by Assistant Professor Arshad Qayyum of the Haripur Government College. He focussed on primary education, which according to him received least attention.

Mr Qayyum suggested an education cadre in the civil service for teachers with equal perks and status.

“Children of village schools from primary to intermediate levels are taught by teachers who possess no better qualification than a contrived matriculation certificate”, he said.

Prof Qayyum also stated that special exams in education subjects must be held by the Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC) for better placement of teachers in schools, colleges and universities.

Science teaching at school level must be done in English language. It was universally agreed now that English is the vehicle of science and technology therefore knowledge of science must be acquired in this language, he remarked.