"We haven't generated enough of the next generation (of scientists and mathematicians) and our capacity to do so will decline markedly over the next 10 years." (January 17, 2007)

    So said CSIRO Chief of mathematical and information sciences Murray Cameron as reported by The Australian's Justine Ferrari.

In Dr Cameron's opinion, the damage is so severe that it will take two decades for it to be corrected, that is, we'd suggest, assuming the governments of the day have an active interest in doing so.

And the President of the Australian Council of Deans of Science, John Rice, told Ms Ferrari that the knowledge base of science and maths teachers in schools was 20 years out of date and said governments were doing little to upgrade their skills. "We have lost our level of scientific and mathematical knowledge. It's already gone."

Both Professor Rice and Dr Cameron concurred that the lost scientific knowledge base was caused by declining numbers of students choosing careers in maths and science. Talented students turned to more lucrative courses such as law and medicine.

And reiterating assessments made time after time, Professor Rise said that a large proportion of science and maths teachers were not qualified in the discipline, meaning students were not taught the to the same depth of knowledge as previously and were eschewing advanced maths and science courses. "Because people have downplayed science and maths, you aren't getting the higher calibre students taking up maths and science. They're going elsewhere to other jobs, leaving a very large vacuum," Professor Rice said. "The turnaround time to change that is quite long. In the end, it's 20 years."

Dr Cameron said the World Economic Forum's findings reported in The Australian yesterday that Australia ranked 29^th out of 125 countries for the quality of its maths and science education as assessed by business and industry reflected the loss of high-calibre students from science and maths. While first-year maths at university 30 years ago attracted the top 100 students in the state, today they were doing well to attract 10 of the top 100. "We need more good graduates going into schools to excite students and then become the next generation of good teachers."

Last month Dr Cameron strongly supported the findings and recommendations of the international review which found that the future of the mathematical sciences in Australia is in jeopardy and recommended the need for urgent action in order to avert a "fatal course" for its future.

And Dr Cameron emphasised that in his opinion the Review’s conclusion that for Australia to be a high tech player on the world stage, its recommendations must be acted on.

One the other hand the Minister for Education, Science and Training, Julie Bishop appears, preoccupied with other matters. She has "vowed to ensure universities are not unnecessarily charging high fees".