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UNESCO-SADC Science, Technology, and Innovation Training Programme hailed
High-level policy officials attending the ongoing UNESCO-SADC Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) online training programme have cited the relevance of the course to their respective work in policy formulation, revision and implementation.
The officials generally agreed on the existence of STI policies in most African countries, however, they pointed out low rates of implementation of these policies. The low rates of implementation were mainly attributed to low funding commitments for science, technology and innovation from both public and private sectors.
The course participants also had the opportunity to make presentations on the STI ecosystems in their respective countries and the steps they are making to ensure STI-driven development agendas. These presentations provided a platform for knowledge-sharing and dissecting the approaches from the countries represented. The country presentations will continue on 3 November 2021 with presentations on the Viability of Systems of Innovation.
The participants have vowed to spread the knowledge gained from the course and from other countries to their peers and subordinates within their respective departments. This will increase the pool of policy officials with a working knowledge of systems of science, technology and innovation in the region, which ultimately leads to effective implementation of policies.
