In grade three we had an essay assignment in Nepali class-'What I want to be when I grow up'. Over 90 percent of my classmates wrote about wanting to be either a doctor or an engineer. One small boy was audacious and innocent enough to ask: "Miss, how do you say scientist in Nepali?" He got an incredulous look from the teacher. Over the past few years things are changing. There are now strong, ambitious students equally attracted to the humanities and the arts. But science, pure science intended for the purpose of further extending knowledge, continues to be notably absent.
Last year was the centenary of Albert Einstein's three stunning papers on light quanta, which formed the basis of quantum mechanics, Brownian motion, which was an experimental test for the theory of heat, and the special theory of relativity proving that neither space nor time is absolute. Each is the bedrock in its respective branch of physics. The World Year of Physics 2005 was dedicated to celebrating the importance of physics in our everyday lives and informing and inspiring young scientists all over the world. In Nepal, of course, the World Year of Physics went by almost totally unnoticed. We have always studied science as the basis for gaining expertise in some other applied field but never as a possible field of expertise, a profession in itself.
Here's an interesting fact: compared to students from Europe or North America, Nepalis tend to be far better grounded in mathematics and the pure sciences with far greater depth in theoretical knowledge as well as exercise. But what we develop in ability, we lose in interest because of the excessive dependence on rote learning in our schools.
Science has been reduced to a passive intake of information to become aforementioned doctors or engineers rather than an active mode of inquiry, an outlet to innate curiosity. Nepali science textbooks contain only that which is useful, never what is beautiful or inspiring about science. Of course, no one is stopping those interested to go and look up that book on astronomy or anatomy on their own. Most students satisfy their hunger for science this way but in Nepal few have access to relevant books. Then, also, reading for leisure outside of what is required for school isn't really a strong point of the Nepali education system.
Even so, let's say a student is really passionate about pure science. The parents will discourage them from going into something they consider has no promising future or social status. Nepal has zero facilities for scientific research and job opportunities are limited to poorly-paid teaching positions in schools and universities. A career in science requires dedication and hard work and in a society like ours, given our social structure and upbringing, the educational system, the lack of scientific facilities and job opportunities, this choice is immensely difficult-even for those who are passionate about science.
In Nepal we may not have marked 100 years of Einstein papers but let's not let another century pass before we get serious about science.
Bibhusan Shakya is a science student at Stanford University in the United States.
