We are lagging in research – Iyambo

The Research, Science and Technology Act of 2004 which will pave the way for the creation of the long awaited National Commission on Research, Science, Technology and Innovation was passed in Parliament earlier this week and will be gazetted later this month.
“Research is one area where we are lagging behind. The Head of State urges our higher education institutions to accelerate research, to go to communities, to determine the indigenous knowledge in particular fields and to build upon this knowledge to improve the lives of our people,” said Dr Abraham Iyambo, Minister of Education, at the three day Indigenous Knowledge Technology Conference this week.
Iyambo further said President Hifikepunye Pohamba is also satisfied with national efforts to identify and employ the most viable alternative and renewable energy sources to provide the power that is needed to introduce ICTs in even the most remote rural areas.
The minister was speaking on behalf of President Pohamba at the three day conference which is scheduled to end this Friday, 4 November.
Dr Iyambo said the role of technology and especially of telecommunications can not be over-emphasised, particularly in view of the country’s challenging demographics.
“He (the President) commends the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Institute at the Polytechnic of Namibia and the Department of Electrical Engineering in its school of Engineering for their untiring work and assistance to the Ministry of Mines and Energy,” said the minister.
He added that the establishment of the Digital Namibia Archive with the assistance of the National Archives and International Partners will allow villages in remote settlements to upload and download recorded material onto an indigenous knowledge management system from anywhere within the village.