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A team of six secondary four students representing Hong Kong won three gold and three silver medals at the Eleventh International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO). The Olympiad was held in Mendoza, Argentina from December 2 to 10, with about 230 scientifically gifted secondary students from 40 countries or regions participating.
The gold medalists were Gu Kwan-yin (Tsuen Wan Public Ho Chuen Yiu Memorial College), Tai Wai-ting (Queen Elizabeth School) and Yu Hoi-wai (La Salle College). The silver medalists were Lam Gigi (St Paul's Co-educational College), Man Chung-chun (PLK Centenary Li Shiu Chung Memorial College) and Kevin Yuen Ka-fai (St Joseph's College).
The IJSO, a science competition for 15-year-old students, aims to promote science education, reinforce collaboration among science talents and provide a platform for nurturing scientifically gifted students from different countries and regions.
The IJSO syllabus is interdisciplinary and covers biology, chemistry and physics content up to senior secondary level. The competition comprises a multiple-choice test, a theoretical examination and an experimental examination. The experimental examination consists of unfamiliar problems that require analytical and problem-solving skills.
Apart from taking part in the competition and meeting other scientifically gifted students, the participants were also provided with an invaluable opportunity to visit the organising country's museums and historical centres, which helped broaden their horizons and enabled them to learn about foreign cultures.
The Hong Kong team members were the best performers among the students in a training programme, having been selected at the International Junior Science Olympiad - Hong Kong Screening 2013, which was co-organised by the Education Bureau, the Hong Kong Association for Science and Mathematics Education and the Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education (HKAGE). The HKAGE commissioned the Chinese University of Hong Kong to provide one year of training for the students from November 2013 to November 2014. Before the competition, the HKAGE ran an affective education training programme to further enhance the team members' self-understanding, communication and leadership skills.
The Hong Kong team was led by Mr Samuel Ng Sing-man, a physics teacher at CNEC Lee I Yao Memorial Secondary School; Ms Chiu Shui-fan, a biology teacher at San Wui Commercial Society Secondary School; and Mr Derek Ng Wai-yiu, student programme development officer at the HKAGE.
Details of the Olympiad are available on the website of the HKAGE (www.hkage.org.hk).
Ends/Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Issued at HKT 11:25
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