Mathematics,
science, and technology are powerful forces that shape human life on the
Earth. They have made societies productive, and they continue to have enormous
potential to make lives better and richer, and to keep the world safe and
livable.
The study of mathematics and science is important because it enriches peoples' lives. It opens the human minds to new aesthetic and intellectual pleasures and to a new appreciation of the beauty and precision that are around us. An understanding of mathematics and science education enables people to take greater control of their lives and to face problems with courage and understanding. This understanding liberates people to imagine new questions and to set about finding new answers.
In the face of rapid development across the Pacific region and throughout the world, all citizens need to be mathematically and scientifically literate to function effectively and to help create and sustain a decent, just, and vigorous society. A literate person is one who understands the key concepts and principles of mathematics and science and uses this knowledge and ways of thinking in everyday life. Citizens today face a range of hard choices, from the personal (such as, how to avoid AIDS) to the global (such as, what to do about the greenhouse effect). People who understand both mathematics and science are better prepared to sort fact from fiction, make sensible decisions, and urge their leaders toward informed public policy choices.
Mathematical and scientific literacy is also economically important. The Pacific region will need people who are well grounded in mathematics and science in a range of specialized career fields. At the same time, there will be an increasing demand for workers, with a basic grasp of mathematics and science and the ability to solve problems and think creatively in all sectors of the region's economy. Quality mathematics and science education can equip students to become world-class adults in a scientific and technological society.