By investing in teachers, we develop society as a whole, said Latvian Minister of Education and Science Anda Čakša at the opening of Olainfarm JSC scholarship for future chemistry teachers.
In her speech, Čakša said she hopes other companies will join the scholarship initiative and thereby assist young teachers, as well as promote the prestige of a teachers’ job in society.
Olainfarm board chairman Juris Bundulis stressed that only knowledgeable and motivated chemistry teachers can inspire an interest in chemistry students. This is why it is necessary to motivate youngsters to study exact sciences.
According to statistical data from the Ministry of Education and Science, in the beginning of the 2021/2022 school year, there were 77 000 students at Latvia’s higher education institutions. Of them only 10% studied natural sciences, mathematics and information technologies. Only 6.6% of them picked education science. On top of that, the number of students studying education-related sciences has a tendency to go down.
“Only motivated, knowledgeable and motivated chemistry teachers can get students interested in chemistry and want to study.
This is why Olainfarm shareholders have decided to create a scholarship programme to support teachers in training, and we are honored that the Minister of Education and Science is a patron of this project. Development of the chemical industry through promotion of interest for it during school years is in the interest of the pharmaceutical industry, but it is also an investment into the country’s growth. We have to promote youngsters’ interest for exact sciences, because only then will we be able to ensure sustainable development of sciences and innovations in Latvia,” said Olainfarm chairman Juris Bundulis.
Representatives of the event said all recipients of the scholarship always knew they would become teachers. They admit their decision was greatly influenced by inspiring teachers in their school years.
Every year scholarship will be provided to five students of the University of Latvia with the highest grades that choose to become chemistry teachers.
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