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The Hong Kong Team won the Best Practical Team (2nd Place) Award at the Eighth International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO) held in Durban, South Africa, from December 1 to 10. This is the first ever team award for Hong Kong students in the Olympiad contest.
The six team members, who are all Secondary Four students, also won one gold medal and five silver medals at the IJSO.
The Hong Kong gold medallist is Justin Cheng Ho-ching (Queen's College). The silver medallists are Cheung Ka-nam (Queen's College), Lo Kwun-yu (King's College), Jeffrey Chan Shi-kai (Diocesan Boys' School), Wong Chun-yui (Diocesan Boys' School) and Zachariah Lee Kwok-tsat (St Paul's Co-educational College).
The IJSO aims to promote science education and reinforce collaboration among science talents as well as provide a platform for nurturing the scientifically gifted from different countries and regions. The Olympiad invited 252 scientifically gifted secondary students from 40 countries or regions.
The content of the IJSO is adapted from the International Baccalaureate Programme for 15-year-old students and covers physics, chemistry and biology up to senior secondary level. The competition comprises one multiple-choice test, one theoretical examination and one 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 are also provided with an invaluable opportunity to tour the organising country's museums and historical centres. This in turn helps them to broaden their horizons and experience foreign cultures.
The Hong Kong team members were the best performers at the International Junior Science Olympiad - Hong Kong Screening 2010-2011. The Education Bureau commissioned the Chinese University of Hong Kong to provide 17 months of training for the students from April 2010 to November 2011. Training on practical experiments was strengthened this year to further boost the team members' confidence and enhance their problem-solving skills.
Before the competition, the Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education (HKAGE) ran an affective education training programme to further enhance student contestants' self-understanding, communication and leadership skills.
The Hong Kong team was led by the EDB Curriculum Development Officer, Mr Leung Kin-tak. The deputy leaders were San Wui Commercial Society Secondary School biology teacher Ms Chiu Shui-fan and Assembly of God Hebron Secondary School physics teacher Mr Choi Wai-ting.
For more information about the Olympiad, please browse the website of the Gifted Education Section, Curriculum Development Institute of the Education Bureau (resources.edb.gov.hk/gifted/ijso), or the website of HKAGE (www.hkage.org.hk).
Ends/Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Issued at HKT 11:31
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