Dr. Petters drills B.D.F. on math and science
He’s one of the foremost scientific thinkers to ever emerge from Belize, but Dr. Arlie Petters is determined to replicate his success in others. His latest venture, under the banner of the Petters Research Institute, is to promote excellence in the fields of math and science. But as News Five’s Janelle Chanona discovered this morning in Ladyville, this particular instruction has a very specific goal.
Janelle Chanona, Reporting
For the next three weeks, these fifteen officer cadets of the Belize Defence Force will be busting their brains as they take on the mental rigours of Algebra, Geometry and other scientific pursuits.
The intensive three week course was created by Dr. Arlie Petters.
Arlie Petters, President, Petters Research Institute
?We?ll be working very closely with General Gillett with developing a new cadre of professionals in the military, that will be among the best in the nation. You?ll next look for the best doctor, the best scientist, the best engineer and they will be coming out of the B.D.F.?
Petters says the main goal of the programme is to give the young officers more educational opportunities.
Arlie Petters
?These exams as you know are part of scholarships for military academies in the U.S. They also provide you with a very strong foundation, even to those students who will not go on to the U.S., say in Central America or the Caribbean for additional studies. One of the most important things I believe is to not think of mathematics as simply a way of manipulating complex equations. It is a tool of reasoning. In particular if you have to make an important business decision, you need to think carefully about cash flows, revenues, debt management and all this kind of thinking is what you do in mathematics; day in and day out. So we want to promote it as something relevant and practical for modern life. It is something that cannot only be applied in finance but any sector of our economy.?
B.D.F. commander Lloyd Gillett believes the educational enhancement will improve Belize?s already impressive record.
Brig. Gen. Lloyd Gillett, Commander, Belize Defence Force
?its three years now since we?ve began our programme. We didn?t have any cadets in the U.S. Service academies three years ago. Now we are the country with the highest number of cadets; the single country with the highest number of cadets. They are there toughing it out. I?m sure that next year when we get another few in, we won?t know until the following year when the first two that went, graduate.?
Eighteen year old officer cadet Felicia Mohabir is a pilot in training, flying the B.D.F. defender an average of four times a week. The Stann Creek Valley resident wants other Belizean youths to set their hopes high.
Felicia Mohabir, Officer Cadet
?I had excellent grades I?d say but math was never really a good subject for me. And for the ACT what they primarily look at is your math and science score. That?s why we really need this course and that?s the reason we?re looking forward to working with Dr. Petters.?
?You just need to knock on doors and they can be opened. I think you need to be aggressive and query about what you want to do. We have a lot of opportunities out there, and you just need to speak to the right people. Focus on what you want to achieve and sit down and access, okay what do I need to get there.?
Reporting for News Five, I am Janelle Chanona.
The fifteen officer cadets are scheduled to sit the ACT exam this September.
