Heads of delegations attending the on-going APEC Youth Science
Festival exchanged experiences on promoting science and technology programmes
among youth in their respective countries and regions Thursday.
The US Government pays great attention to science and technology education,
due to its importance in the nation's economic development, said Yolanda S.
George of the US delegation.
"When the children are very young, we encourage them to conduct science
research, and sometimes some students even have access to direction from famous
scientists who are Nobel Prize Winners," said George.
In Thailand, there are special schools to teach science and technology, and
also train teachers in science popularization at some normal university, said
Pannee Pengnate.
In Japan, the government pays great attention to the development in textbooks
of science and technology, said Kouichi Morimoto, head of Japan delegation.
The government also provides the public free textbooks on science
popularization, said Morimoto.
The South Korean Government has put large amounts of money into the
development of science and technology, said Kim Choong-Gon.
The Canadian courses in science and technology are different in varying
regions, said Reni Barlow.
In Macao, there are more than 20 activities to popularize science every year,
said Tam Pou I.
Heads of some delegations Thursday said the festival is very successful.
"Our students praised the event, saying they have learned much about advanced
science and technology in China," said George.
"The delegates of Thailand have learned much in this festival, and I thank
Beijing very much for the successful festival," said Pengnate, head of Thailand
delegation.
The students from Thailand have made many friends from China and other
members of APEC, which has made them feel excited and lucky, Pengnate said.
"As the first member to hold the APEC Youth Science Festival, Korea has a
keen interest in the festival," said Kim, head of South Korean delegation.
Kim also highly praised the organizing committee of the festival.
During the festival, the students from Canada have realized they share same
ideas in some fields of science and technology, said Reni Barlow, head of Canada
delegation.
The Canadians have learned that developments in science and technology need
global co-operation through this kind of exchange, Barlow said.
The science festival is a very good chance for the students from Taipei to
exchange ideas with students from other members of APEC, said Wei-Chung Wang,
head of Taipei delegation.
The students from the mainland and Taiwan should make more exchanges in the
future, said Wang.
The science festival was a quite good one, during which the students had many
opportunities for exchanges, said Tam Pou I, head of Macao delegation.
Tan highly praised Chinese Government for science popularization.
As the host, students in the mainland are very keen to help the students from
other members of APEC, said Cheng Man-wah, head of Hong Kong delegation.
The students from Beijing have done much work for the festival, said Gan
Beilin, head of Beijing delegation.
This festival have much inspired the students' to aspire to creativity, said
Tang Shihua, head of Jiangsu delegation.
Heads or delegates of some Chinese provincial delegations also highly praised
the festival Thursday.
"Our students have widened their views and learned much from other students,"
said Yu Xiangqin, head of Tibet Autonomous Region delegation.
The festival brought some new ideas about science and technology, and which
enlighten Chinese students greatly, said Xing Zhifeng, a delegate from Shanghai.
The delegates and heads also saw some gaps between Chinese students and
others.
"We now still have not the full time teachers of science and technology, and
our students have not much time to do science research, because they have much
homework to do," said Gan.
With the aim to improve the creativity of most youths around the country, the
government should provide more money in it," said Gan.
Morimoto also said the Chinese Government should input more money in the
education of science and technology for young students.
Barlow also said more attention should be paid to the training of the
teachers of science and technology in China.
The different regions in China should further promote co-operations, said
Ding Jianning, head of Jiangsu Province.
"The related departments should also further promote co-operation in the
science education," said Gan.