Enrolment at tertiary level and the facilities for science at tertiary institutions are also not encouraging. The dream for using science for development would obviously not take place under these conditions. Within SADC, however, very concerted attempts have been made to correct the state of affairs and to create the requisite infrastructure have been taking place. There was a realization that the infrastructure would not be created in the absence of an accountable authority for science and attendant policies. SADC Heads of Science Ministries thus started meeting in 1998 to discuss science policy development for science and technology. Prior to that very few of the SADC countries had policies for science, now almost all have dedicated Ministers for science and policies. It is thus against this improving backdrop for science that the proposal to hold a Science Week in all of the SADC Member states is made.
Noting the progress that they had made to date in the policy development program, the SADC heads of S&T Ministries decided at their annual workshop which was held in Maputo in May 2003, to develop a number of projects that would take their cooperation forward. They identified a number of projects, among which was the Science Week project. The idea of setting aside a week in the year during which science and technology awareness is raised and popularized is well recognized by many countries. SADC member states agreed to introduce this campaign among all Member States. Already, a few of the member states had introduced the week in their countries but a SADC wide week to heighten the impact of the campaign is envisaged. The main goal is to promote public awareness, appreciation and understanding of Science, Engineering and Technology across the region. It is envisaged that in this way parents will buy into the agenda of science and more young people would find science attractive as a future career.
To promote an appreciation of the invaluable contribution that Science, Engineering and Technology make to SADC's social and economic development.
The Science and Technology policy is articulated in the 15-year Southern African Development Community (SADC) Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP). The detailed policy is contained in the Protocol on Science, Technology and Innovation signed by the SADC Summit in August 2008.
One activity scheduled is the launch of the SADC Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) Week as per the matrix table 4.5 of the RISDP. The SADC Science and Technology Ministers who met in Johannesburg, South Africa, 11 December 2008 noted that the awareness in the region on science, engineering and technology (SET) is still low. Research and Development on the other hand accounts for less than 1% of GDP among developing countries compared to about 3% for developed countries. Ministers agreed that science, technology and innovation are the foundation for the development of any society.
The SADC Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) Week was, in fact, proposed to foster public understanding and awareness of and engagement with SET. Mauritius was elected as Chair for the SADC Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) Week programme and South Africa as the Deputy Chair. It was decided that the SADC Desk on Science, Technology and Innovation will assist in coordinating the activities and mobilising funding. It was also agreed that Mauritius will drive the implementation of the SADC Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) Week in 2009, with the assistance of South Africa as the Deputy Chair.
It may be recalled that such an event was initially planned during the Mauritius Chair of the SADC (August 2004 – August 2005) but did not materialize. The intention now is to launch the SADC SET by end of October 2009.