Man has always lived in a vigorous battle for survival with nature. In order to survive, he has learnt to cohabit with his kind so as to collectively withstand his challenges. Overtime, these small groups of men have formed mighty nations. One major factor that has facilitated man’s journey from Stone Age to present day Computer Age is technology.
Technology is referred to as the application of scientific knowledge to natural resources so as to solve human problems and promote harmonious co – existence of man and his environment.
The advantages of technology are enormous as they cut across all sectors of a nation’s economy. Technology is needed in the educational sector to harmonize the current explosion in students and increase knowledge with limited teaching resources. It is also needed in the agricultural sector. It helps in the building of a nation’s economy and other sectors such as Health and Security.
Furthermore, technology is relevant to a nation as it improves the standard of living of the people, increase their productive power as well as help in preventing wastage of human labour. It is also required to conserve, develop and preserve a nation’s natural resources. No wonder, nations that use technology as a tool for nation building are in the fore front of the world’s economy. Obviously, the degree at which a nation embraces technology for economic development varies proportionally with her socio-economic growth. For instance, Japan, after passing through a period of serious economic depression, closed her borders to imports. She then focused her large human resources and limited natural resources towards meeting her needs. Today, Japan is a big player in the world’s economy. The same can be said of Germany. Her government’s emphasis on then sustenance and rehabilitation of her industries after the Second World War, staged her quick come back as a force to reckon with in the world’s economy. Other nations include Malaysia, Israel and China. These are nations that have thriving economies due to their dependence on technology.
Literally, technology could be regarded as the only productive natural resources found in man. All other natural resources: oil and minerals are dormant and will remain so if not acted upon by that of man. Nations that have this understanding focus their energy towards building their human resources. They achieve this by developing their educational sector, particularly the aspect of technical education or skills required for effective utilization of natural resources to the benefit of self as well as the community.
Unfortunately, the same story cannot be said for some developing nations. Well, the required attention is not given to Technical Education. The sector is bedeviled with problems like teaching and learning. Thus, these nations feed on depleting natural resources. They rely on other nations for mechanization and manpower to harness their resources. Such nations cannot enjoy lasting economic growth and economic security.
In summary, the rate of growth and development of a nation is largely determined by how much a country embraces technology as a tool for nation building. And education remains the surest and most effective means of creating a technologically conscious nation. Developing countries such as Nigeria should not forget that the difference between slave and slave traders in the 19th century was not an issue of colour, race or wealth but that of technology.
