Waarom Chemie?

Abstract

Each one of us tonight struggles with the same problem, namely what are the shortcomings of the teaching profession? Rather, what are the shortcomings of the educationalist? Before this question can be answered, definition must first be given to the subject area of Chemistry: God in His all-knowing wisdom thought it good to provide us with 103 elements, of which the universe in its entirety consists. Chemistry has to do with the chemical elements and their combinations, as well as the energy changes which occur during the process of combination of the elements. Man made the subject Chemistry and manages it by means of models. Modelling, in turn, gives rise to laws, theories etc. WHAT IS A CHEMIST? Everything that lives, everything that can think and do, is, generally speaking, a chemist - that is to say, a producer and consumer of chemical products. Everyone of us practises or experiments daily with Chemistry. "Life" without Chemistry is unthinkable. The training of a chemist, a specialist in the area of Chemistry, is just as professional and career-orientated as any other recognised profession, e.g. that of an engineer, a medical doctor, a dentist, etc. WHAT DOES A PROFESSIONAL CHEMIST DO? He is on a voyage of discovery. Using his existing models, he probes the hidden secrets of nature. Every true researcher delivers a useful and meaningful contribution to the size and profile of the existing pool of knowledge. Every researcher lives in the expectation that his contribution will be recognised and that, as a result, it will have a useful application. WHAT ARE PURE AND APPLIED SCIENCES? I consider that it is meaningless to draw dividing lines between pure and applied sciences and thus to attempt to set aside specific working areas. A solid house, that is to say the applied sciences, stands on a firm foundation (that is the pure sciences Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics), despite the fact that this is not visible to the observer. In other words, the pure and applied sciences form an integrated whole. WHAT ARE THE RESULTS OF THE PRACTISE OF PURE AND APPLIED CHEMISTRY? The pure scientist communicates his newfound knowledge in an understandable manner by means of publications, lectures and talks. In essence, it is the gathering, classification and dissemination of knowledge. In this way, new opportunities In the applied sciences and technologies, the accent has shifted and the goal and motives are different. The final motive is usually financial gain. Unfortunately our community does not see the foundations (pure sciences) of the house, and the pure sciences are discriminated against in many areas. The results of this pre-judgement has already reached worrying proportions, for example: 1. Chemistry departments at South African Universities have mainly become service departments. 2. Full-time postgraduate students, and consequently outstanding research projects, have decreased unsettlingly. 3. Competent and outstanding lecturers are becoming very scarce, while vacancies remain unfilled. 4. Training programmes are no longer sufficient. 50% of well-trained (but underprepared) scholars fail first-year Chemistry. 5. Our chemistry graduates no longer satisfy the demands of the chemical and associated manufacturing industries, in other words the labour market. We are already experiencing a crisis situation which might well lead to economic chaos. TO WHO, BY WHOM, HOW, WHEN, MUST OR SHOULD CHEMISTRY BE LECTURED? Training in Chemistry must commence as early as possible, in fact already in childhood. Every person must be trained in Chemistry. Everyone must be made aware, through the press, radio, television and other communications media, that life means Chemistry. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH TRAINING IN CHEMISTRY AT OUR SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES? The problem lies with the educationalist and the absence of a national model (strategy) that could and should have predicted the present problems. The pre- sent model - patched, inadequate, tired - is dominated by partially competent elements. It has not kept pace with the rapid changes and demands of the times. The child's and student's interest in Chemistry must be revived. They must again learn to live Chemistry. We will have to develop a new model, using the existing patched midel as a departure point. All of us, in whatever capacity, and especially the State, have an obligation to set our priorities right and make our contribution. The educationalist must win back his status in the community. Large investments (manpower, maney) in education can, and will, yield gratifying returns in the future. My task as depertmental head is, amongst others, to provide for each student and lecturer a challenging and satisfactory working and training environment. We, together with the whole world, are engaged today in a battle for survival. Are you going to deny yourself today, or your children tomorrow, participation in the battle or in all the challenges? The challenges posed by the Chemistry and its diverse applications are un limited, including amongst others the search for alternative energy and food sources, renewable sourcs as raw materials for energy and life-essential chemicals, new-generation agricultural chemicals and medicines, etc., etc. I see it as the duty of everyone to participate actively in the programme. No university can ecist and prosper in isolation. The university has a grat responsibility to the labour market and to the community in general. Close cooperation between Chemistry departments and the business sector is therefore of vital importance.