Last chance to visit young scientists’ fair
Eskom Expo for Young Scientists is a national science fair that has emerged as SA’s largest science fair for school students from grades five to 12,
A platform to develop South Africa’s pipeline of young researchers, scientists and engineers will capacitate learners to ensure they are better equipped to become innovators of tomorrow.
Attracting over 1 200 schools and 100 000 learners every year, the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists is a national science fair endorsed by the Departments of Basic Education, Science & Technology and Public Enterprises and funded by Eskom.
The Expo is proudly presented to the Central Region of KwaZulu-Natal in partnership with FFS Refiners, a key sponsor of the event, and Durban University of Technology.
The event has emerged as SA’s largest science fair for school students from grades five to 12, offering them a golden opportunity to showcase their innovation and ingenuity through projects about their own scientific investigations.
The aim is to stimulate youth interest and participation in fields related to Sciences, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Innovation (STEMI) through regional and national expositions which are currently hosted across 35 regions in all nine provinces.
In order to create a greater educational impact, the Expo is integrated into the existing educational curriculum at schools.
Students are encouraged to discuss their work with judges, teachers and students from other schools as well as parents and other interested stakeholders.
The initiative is aligned with the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) and supplements the work undertaken by the Department of Education (DoE) in promoting science and technology amongst the youth, with a special focus on female and previously disadvantaged learners.
The release of the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Information Technology Report 2016, ranked South Africa last in mathematics and science education quality.
This is the third year in a row that South Africa emerged at the bottom of the list of WEF’s rankings – behind Nigeria, Mozambique, and Malawi.
The Expo helps to heighten awareness of the wonders of science whilst also enhancing students’ knowledge of the scientific world with a view to broadening their tertiary education prospects.
Participants submit a research project choosing from 24 categories which are benchmarked against international standards, with a few additional categories tailored to meet local needs.
As part of the methodology, students are required to identify a problem, analyse data, find solutions and communicate the findings effectively.
“The Expo is a platform for spurring innovation and addressing the severe shortage of scientific skills in the country,” said Nalini Dookie, the Expo’s Provincial Co-ordinator.
“In an effort to encourage greater uptake of science-related subjects and increase the number of graduates engaging in post graduate studies and further research, the Expo will help bridge the gap between the school system and universities.”
There are many compelling reasons for students to participate in the Expo:
- Learners with innovative and original projects will have the opportunity to represent South Africa at International Science Fairs
- Explore their scientific career from one of the 24 categories offered by the Expo
- Many past winners have advanced their careers in science based on the projects they submitted at the Expo
- Students can win fantastic prizes for themselves and their school
Five expos were scheduled for KZN and members of the public are invited to attend the remaining events to be held on the 31 August 2016, Umzinto Town Hall from 1pm to 2.30pm (Public Viewing Times) and 3pm to 5pm for the awards presentation.
Approximately 550 learners from 35 regions will be selected to represent the province at the national competition to be held in Johannesburg at the Birchwood Conference Centre from 4 to 7 October 2016.
Successful participants are awarded gold, silver and bronze medals as well as special awards and university bursaries in excess of R1.3 million. In addition, selected projects will qualify to participate at various International Science Fairs.
