President ECOSF talks to Millennium Igniters- the School Children on the Importance of Scientific Research for High School Students & their Choice of Careers

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The "Millennium Igniters" is a small scale school based enterprise planned, organized, managed and controlled by a group of highly motivated, creative and hardworking students of the Roots School, Millennium Campus in I-9/3, Islamabad.

To benefit the students academically, and to enhance their motivation level, the Millennium Igniters organized an event- "Let's make a difference" on 17 March 2015; wherein, Prof. Dr. Manzoor H. Soomro, President of ECO Science Foundation (ECOSF) was invited to speak to the students and share his struggle and accomplishments of life.

The event opened with recitation from the Holy Quran, then the Director Roots Millennium School (RMS) Mrs. Safia Farooqi presented a welcome note. Afterwards, Professor Dr. Manzoor Hussain Soomro was invited to speak to the students. He gave an inspiring and thought provoking talk by sharing his early age experiences and difficulties and the way he tackled them and pursued his studies.

President ECOSF in his talk emphasized on the significance of science by saying that the importance of scientific research or inquiry is very much in our life, as science and technology have had impact on human life over the centuries. Some scientific phenomena have been understood, but many are yet to be explored and studied. As our mind is utilised and develops, it tends to understand more things. The most brilliant guideline for exploring science and the universe beyond our galaxy is a great book of Quran, which gives a large number of hints and guideline; but so it happens, that we especially the Muslim world, do not find out and research to discover more!

Professor Soomro also said that, although the golden age of Islam from 9th to 13th centuries marked the renaissance in the scientific endeavour, the benefit of that period and of Muslim scholars, reached far beyond the Islamic world. The discoveries and contributions of that period were further developed in the western- non-muslim world.

While addressing the children and teachers President ECOSF said that the role of science education in modern societies is growing with the increasing impact of science and technology on our everyday life. He narrated that the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) had declared in 1985 that, "without science literate population, the outlook for a better world is not promising'' He further highlighted a word by an American author Bill Bryson published in the "Express Tribune" Newspaper of 16th March,2015, which read, "if we are to have a world worth living in a 100 years from now, it will be science that gets us there''.

He also emphasized on the obvious need for a new practical approach to science education and learning for the recipients of knowledge (i.e., students), rather than the classical way of imparting knowledge; and that is best achieved through the Inquiry Based Science Education (IBSE).

While talking about the struggle of his life, Professor Soomro said that he worked with his farmer father in the fields and observed nature a bit closely though didn't understand at that time. But later when he studied science of agriculture, he could easily understand the processes and mechanisms. Subsequently, the recording of a TV interview of Professor Manzoor Soomro was played, which explained the his early life struggle and achievements. Afterwards, the children asked questions to Dr. Soomro, which he answered nicely.

Finally, while closing his speech, President ECOSF Prof. Dr. Manzoor H. Soomro mentioned about a book, "INQUIRY BASED SCIENCE EDUCATION- 10 GOOD PRACTICES", put together by some scientist and educationists of Egypt in 2014 and published in 2015 by the Islamic Development Bank (IDB).

The event closed with a vote of thanks by Mr. Faisal Mushtaq, the CEO of RMS; who considered the talk by Prof. Dr. Manzoor H. Soomro as inspirational and a boost for the high school students. He hoped that the talk and the life story of Prof. Soomro would broadens the visions of students towards their studying science and choice of careers.