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Launched regionally in January 2013, the competition runs concurrently in eighteen other Caribbean territories, and the national competition will be held on March 16, 2013.
In a recent interview with the State media, Manager of Corporate Communications at Sagicor Life Incorporated, Marlene Chin said the number of entries received from Guyana exceeded their expectation.
She added that the teachers and students at the schools have fully embraced the project, and she is heartened by the reception to the challenge.
“The challenge has its genesis in a STEM awareness campaign that the Caribbean Science Foundation, Caribbean Examination Council (CXC), and the various ministries of education have identified as a deep rooted problem where we need to create the awareness, excitement and support for STEM,” she said
She related that the Sagicor Group of Companies has a very proud and deep rooted history in the Caribbean, noting that the company has now expanded to Europe and the United States.
According to her, the company has a global reach, and their vision is to improve the lives of the people in communities in which they operate.
Ms. Chin noted that this project is just one way of showing their corporate and social responsibility through an initiative that speaks to those communities.
She indicated that there has been a decline in the performances of students at the CXC examination, and this project seeks to bring the region’s education system back to where it needs to be.
According to her, the STEM challenge will allow students to use what is learnt in the classroom to solve problems in the community, at home, and at school in order to ensure a sustainable programme.
She added that teachers and students should not consider the challenge as an extra-curricular activity, as it’s directly based on their syllabus, and will soon to be part of their preparation exercise for their School-Based Assessments (SBAs).
She asserted that they are hoping that the business community can also join them in partnering with these schools to assist with the cost of some of these projects, particularly when an idea comes to fruition.
Meanwhile, also speaking to the state media, Science Coordinator of the National Centre for Education Resource Development, Petal Jetoo said the scope of the challenge helps the students to apply their knowledge in a practical way, similar to what is required at the tertiary level.
She added that the challenge also builds on the skills they would have grasped at an earlier level, while also boosting their confidence.
Ms. Jetoo, who is also the country representative for the Caribbean Science Foundation, indicated that the country has a lot of resources, but the most important resource is the human capital, and building that human capital should be the first priority.
Doing well
“The teachers and the students get together to look at a problem that is facing the school and its immediate environment, and we want more of our students to not only embrace science, but also to do well in it,” she said.
She noted that schools have already applied to be a part of the challenge, and they have also submitted their project idea.
Ms. Jetoo informed that some of the ideas submitted were: Reduction of the use of plastic bottled water in the school by setting up a water purification system that utilizes water for drinking purposes; Creation of an electronic library to improve the learning resources available to the students of the school; and Use of plastic bottles to build a greenhouse in which they can grow plants.
She added that there are also mentors who were appointed to the schools, and they will assist the students along the way.
The Caribbean Science Foundation and CXC are the other stakeholders for the competition, and partners include Professor Cardinal Warde and Dr. Mya Trotz of the Caribbean Science Foundation and CEO and Registrar of CXC, Dr. Didacus Jules.
Meanwhile, winners from each territory will be judged to produce an overall wining regional team, who will win an all-expenses paid “STEM Ambassadors” seven-day trip to Florida, and students can win up to US$45,000.
