Bright future: Talented science students recognised at an award ceremony

The students had performed well in the International Sciences Olympiads.

ISLAMABAD:

Students participating in the International Science Olympiads in July were given awards at the Higher Education Commission (HEC) here on Tuesday.

All four members of the Pakistani team won bronze medals in the International Biology Olympiad held in Taiwan. Two students won Bronze Medals and two got Honourable Mentions in the Physics Olympiad hosted by Thailand. Two of the four Pakistani team members won Bronze Medals, while one of them clinched an Honourable Mention in the Chemistry Olympiad in Turkey. In the International Mathematical Olympiad held in Netherlands, one student won Bronze Medal and one an Honourable Mention.

The students were groomed under National Science Talent Contest (NTSC), which is an extension of the National Physics Talent Contest (NPTC), launched by the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) in 1995. The key objective of the NPTC is to give recognition at the highest level to talented science students who excel in national competitions and represent the country at the Physics Olympiads. Acknowledging the success of NPTC, HEC approved a proposal of the Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS) for proper institutionalisation and extension NTSC’s scope to include Mathematics, Chemistry and Biology as well.

STEM Careers Programme was subsequently launched in 2003 with the aim of grooming talented students for careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Under this programme, bright young FSc/A-level first year students are invited to compete in the NSTC held annually in the four disciplines of Physics, Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics. The final group of students then competes in the International Science Olympiads in Physics, Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics.

HEC Chairperson Dr Javaid Laghari said that he was “happy to see that the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Careers Programme grooms and provides avenues for international competitions for youngsters.” He added that the program served as an innovating opportunity for young students.

The chairperson stated that a trained and educated human mind is one of those biggest assets a country can have. “Pakistan is doubly blessed with an abundance of natural resources as well as bright young minds, however, it is only through education that we will be able to make use of our resources and rapidly progress like developed countries of the world,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 19^th, 2011.