The claims made by UCT student to “scrap western science and to restart science from an Africa perspective” have produced a piercing reaction in the social media such as Twitter and YouTube. Link to #sciencemustfall video https://youtu.be/C9SiRNibD1

An article published by mybroadband opposes each of the claims made by the UCT student and made valid argument that those statements have no values in an academic environment.Link to article: https://mybroadband.co.za/news/science/182962-a-quick-science-lesson-for-the-sciencemustfall-idiots.html

The main responses to the video on social media were a mix of disbelief, humour and disgust;
“how can you demand #sciencemustfall if you don’t believe in gravity” by @Ryk_van_Niekerk, or “That moment you want to comment on #sciencemustfall but remember the 23% you got for Science at school so you cough and see yourself out” by @TomEatonSA.

The nation has failed our youth. Not only with setting low 30% pass rates, not only with our miserable Math and Science pass rate for matric, not only with 60% of the Grade 1 cohort reaching matric and not only with depressed drop out from universities. Our biggest failure is that we did not combat ignorance!
This UCT student mentioned that she took science throughout her schooling career and although she is not studying Science at university she made comments that should worry us as educators, as parents and as policy makers.

The Department of Education has for more than 20 years made various reforms and changes to the curriculum, all to combat the impact of Bantu education. The Department made progress with high enrolment of children to schools but has failed to provide quality education and validate the improved admission. The #sciencemustfall movement reiterates that we failed our future generation. Science is not about race, “whiteness or blackness” it is about studying what’s around us with curiosity, observation and experimentation. It’s about asking the questions of why things are the way they are, how things work and why things react the way they do. This type of questioning using critical and analytical thinking skills has led to progress in science in medicine and in technology.

Our future generation should form forums and debates on various matters and issues. We, the educators, parents and policy makers need to ensure they have the skills to ask questions and inquire in analytical and critical ways to ensure they learn, progress and grow.