With the participation of 40 preparatory schools, the first phase of Qatar Science Contest for the academic year 2016-2017 was launched yesterday.
The contest, which witnessed a big turnout, focuses on two subjects: Mathematics and Science. Al Ahnaf bi Ghaith Preparatory School is hosting the boys contest while Amna bin Wahab School hosts the girls contests.
The contest enhances the spirit of competition and builds students’ capacities in line with the government policy to care for the young generations and talented students, said the Principle of Ahnaf bin School, Sandah Nasser Al Nuaimi.
As our major concern is scientific excellence, our aim is to develop scientific skills and encourage talented students to take part in the contest, said Jamal Al Khateeb, Deputy Principal of the school.
Student’s good and serious preparation for the contest itself is a good outcome benefiting the student because he/she learns much from that. Al Ahnaf school is hosting this contest for the third time, Al Khateeb said.
The coordinator of the contest, Yasser Al Badri, said the contest has three phases.
The first phase was launched yesterday and the second stage will begin in March, 2017, the third and final one will be held in May. Samples of questions for training were sent to the participating schools to prepare themselves in two subjects: Mathematics and Science, Al Badri added.
The Ministry of Education and Higher Education lays importance to this contest, and its officials attend all stages, he said. On the other hand, the judging committees of the 10th edition of Qatar Scientific Award 2016, have begun to evaluate participants by interviewing them.
The students interviewed so far were from Preparatory and Secondary schools.
The committee conducted interviews with seven short- listed students from secondary schools, said Hessa Al AHammadi, Chairwoman of the Committee. The shortlisted students are those who achieved 80 percent in the evaluation of standards and the aim of the interviews is to assess participants' fluency, their ability to convince and influence, ability to present the issue, self confidence, use of evidence and examples to prove their arguments, Al Hammadi pointed
out.
