THE Ministry of Education’s regional science fair was launched on Monday, after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a release from the Education Ministry, the fair which opened in Georgetown, will run for three days at Queen’s College, under the theme: “Transforming Education through Innovation and STEAM [Science, Technology Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics].”

Education Minister, Priya Manickchand, according to a press release, highlighted that Guyana is on the cusp of development.

She related that the STEAM fair provides students with a platform to not only be creative, but also to mould their minds to become critical thinkers to make meaningful contributions in the future.

“These practical exercises are not gimmicks for us. For us in Education, we are asking and challenging our children to identify problems and create solutions for those problems. These activities are meant to pursue, augment, and complement the work in our curriculum,” the Education Minister said.

She further related that every region across Guyana will host a STEAM fair leading up to the National Science, Technology Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics Fair which is scheduled to be hosted later this year.

Principal Education Officer, Immanuel Bridgewater, said there are five categories of participants: Nursery schools, primary schools, secondary schools, practical instruction centres, and observer groups. There are a total of 85 projects being displayed as part of the exhibition.

“From the projects that are here, we have seen evidence of our children using their imagination, creativity and knowledge of science, and what is happening in the environment to bring to life those experiences that can make the lives of all those individuals living in those communities better,” Bridgewater said.

Science in the broadest sense refers to any system of knowledge which attempts to model reality. As such, this year, the National Science, Technology Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics Fair will not be limited to traditional sciences such as chemistry and physics, but will also accommodate areas such as social and behavioural sciences and home economics.