SVGTA hosting science fair again

Hoping to get students excited in science again, the St Vincent and the Grenadines Science Teachers’ Association (SVGTA) will be hosting its annual National Science Fair from November 6 to 10.

Thirty individual prizes and one prize each for the top primary, secondary, and tertiary school are up for the taking in the competition under the theme “Keeping Science in the Mix for 2006”. {{more}}

“Right now a lot of students are moving away from science towards business, they are asking what is science and what’s in it for them. They can readily identify with being an accountant or businessperson but they can’t see what professions they can pursue if they study the science subjects,” said Ayana Baisden of Grammar School.

She argued that whatever the chosen profession, science has a place as one of the foundation subjects.

“Just as English and Mathematics are basic subjects that everyone must study, so too should be the sciences,” she said.

As a student of Art, she said, her science knowledge has enhanced her ability when it came to things such as mixing glazes, acrylics, and paints which the average artist would have to learn by trial and error.

“By integrating science as one of the base subjects we would be giving students what they need for life as opposed to what they need for a specific profession,” she said.

Judging will take place on November 6-8 after which the exhibition will be opened to the public on November 9 and 10 at the Methodist Church Hall.

Last year 180 students from 26 schools exhibited 96 projects.

The topics of the exhibits are: agriculture, behavioural science, chemistry, computer science and maths, engineering, environmental science, medicine and health, physics, food science, and biology.