Ethics Education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in Africa: A Reflection on the Successes, Failures and the Way Forward in the Era of a Global Pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 global pandemic has proven how vulnerable human populations are and how that vulnerability could be ethically reduced using science and technology. The COVID-19 outbreak led to a complete change in the work and human relations world that had to be sustained through Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education. Border closures and physical distancing protocols meant that virtual and related technologies became the only lifelines for kee** in touch and supplying essential goods and services to people most in need. In some countries, the use of robots through Artificial Intelligence (AI) became critical in the delivery of health services for patients in isolation centers. Countries with strong STEM education combined with robust professional codes of ethics are better able to respond to the challenges imposed by the global pandemic – ranging from vaccine development to efficient delivery of essential services such as medicines and foods during lockdowns. The economies of most nation-states in Africa suffered greatly during the pandemic despite the low infection rates, largely due to the limited access to STEM education and ethics therein. Even though STEM education in Africa has over the past two or more decades received coordinated attention from national governments and their development partners consistent with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 that aspires to be a continent where “well educated and skilled citizens, underpinned by science, technology, and innovation for a knowledgeable society is the norm, and no child misses school due to poverty…”, less than 25% of African higher education students are in STEM fields. And for those in STEM fields, there is little emphasis on ethics education. The pandemic also threatens the success or possible achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal 4, focusing on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all, especially in Africa. In this Chapter, we reflect on the need for ethics education in STEM in Africa in the era of a global pandemic. We advocate for a paradigm shift from the over-focus on access to STEM education to better include ethics education in STEM to ensure that it is not used to widen inequality gaps but rather narrow them.