SAASTA getSETgo, January 2015: Natural Science Olympiad: Where budding young scientists show off their talents

What name is given to the science which studies the atmosphere? How much of the Earth's fresh water is frozen? Where would you expect to find an exoskeleton?

These are just a handful of questions that learners around the country had to answer to win the Natural Science Olympiad competition, a written national multiple choice format examination that covers the Natural Science syllabus.


A Rukanda of Forest Hill Primary School in Gauteng, one of the top performing learners in Grades 4 and 5, receives her prize from Moloko Matlala, Manager of SAASTA's Science Education unit (left) and Dr Jabu Nukeri, Managing Director of SAASTA		A Sibi of King Edward High in the Eastern Cape, national winner in the category for Grades 7 to 9, receives one of her prizes from Bersan Lesch of the Science and Youth Unit at the Department of Science and Technology

Last year marked the 4th annual Natural Science Olympiad, which encourages learners from Grade 4 to 9 in all provinces to gain an understanding of how the world and universe work by covering five major fields of study: Chemistry, Astronomy, Earth Science, Physics and Biology. The annual written examination is comprised of questions set by field experts in Natural Sciences. Once the examination has been concluded, the top learners and schools are identified and awarded stunning prizes including laptops, iPods, book vouchers and digital cameras.

The prize-giving event that took place in Centurion in October last year coincided with the finals of the 2014 AstroQuiz. SAASTA invited the top performing learners and representatives of the top performing schools in the Olympiad, together with the AstroQuiz finalists, to take part in an all-expenses-paid trip to Pretoria for the awards event. The learners also visited the National Zoological Gardens and Sci-Enza Science Centre at the University of Pretoria.

The aim of the Natural Science Olympiad is to identify and nurture talent in Natural Science, Life Science and Accounting; to increase the number of learners who opt for Physical Science, Life Science, Accounting and Mathematics at high schools; and to act as a feeder for SAASTA's National Science Olympiad for grades 10 – 12, which is now in its 51st year.The competition questions are designed to encourage all learners, those who love science and those who have never been exposed to the fascinating world of science, to take Physical Sciences and Mathematics at high school level and to consider a career in science, engineering or technology.


SD Dheoduth of Star College in KwaZulu-Natal (second from left) and TM Minhas of Nizamiye High School in Gauteng receive their prizes from Moloko Matlala (left) and Dr Jabu Nukeri (right). Both learners obtained a third position in the category for Grades 7 to 9		The top performing learners and representatives of the top performing schools enjoy their visit to the National Zoological Gardens in Pretoria

Preparation for the Natural Science Olympiad starts at the beginning of the year, when schools register for the competition and learners start preparing for the examination. The national paper is usually written in May. After that, the national and provincial winners, the top girl learner, the top learner per grade, and the representatives from top performing schools in the different categories visit the National Zoological Gardens and Sci-Enza Science Centre at the University of Pretoria and attend the award ceremony in Gauteng, courtesy of SAASTA.

Although the prizes are significant, most of the past participants have noted that it was participation in the Natural Science Olympiad that was most important to them as it exposed them to fascinating new knowledge.


The budding scientists were fascinated by the exhibits on display in the Sci-Enza Science Centre at the University of Pretoria

Find out if your school will be participating in the 5th Natural Science Olympiad. If they intend to participate, visit the SAASTA website for details: www.saasta.ac.za. The closing date for entries is 28 February 2015.

#	Name	Gender	School	Province	Grade
1	MS Salie	M	Star College	Western Cape	6
2	AL Leonard	F	Star College	Western Cape	6
2	NW Webb	F	Star College	Western Cape	6
3	AT Rukanda	F	Forest Hill Primary School	Gauteng	5
3	Y Williams	F	Forest Hill Primary School	Gauteng	6

#	Name	Gender	School	Province	Grade
1	AL Leonard	F	Star College	Western Cape	6
1	NW Webb	F	Star College	Western Cape	6

#	Name	Gender	School	Province	Grade
1	R Sauer	M	Curro Hermanus	Western Cape	4
1	AT Rukanda	F	Forest Hill Primary School	Gauteng	5

#	Name	Gender	School	Province	Grade
1	A Sibi	F	King Edward High	Eastern Cape	7
2	BR Rijkmans	F	Rustenburg Girls High	Western Cape	9
2	T Naidoo	M	Rydalvale Primary School	KwaZulu-Natal	7
3	TM Minhas	M	Nizamiye High School	Gauteng	9
3	SD Dheoduth	M	Star College	KwaZulu-Natal	9
3	NR Lambrecht	M	Westerford High School	Western Cape	9

#	Name	Gender	School	Province	Grade
1	A Sibi	F	King Edward High	Eastern Cape	7

* Please note: A. Sibi (King Edward High School) is awarded one tablet for both categories

#	Name	Gender	School	Province	Grade
1	A Sibi	F	King Edward High	Eastern Cape	7
2	R McDougall	M	Curro Durbanville	Western Cape	8

#	School	Province	Average
1	Grove Primary School	Western Cape	63.76%
2	Margate Primary School	KwaZulu-Natal	62.60%
3	Hermanus Primary School	Western Cape	62.43%