Anse Boileau primary and secondary shine at this year’s Science Fair |12 November 2022
The primary and secondary winners proudly flaunt their trophies (Photos: Joena Meme)
The Anse Boileau primary and secondary schools have clinched most of the awards at this year’s Science Fair, coinciding with the World Science Day for Peace and Development.
The fair was officially opened on Thursday this week with students exhibiting their science projects at the Ministry of Education and the Seychelles Institute of Teacher Education (SITE).
The school won six prizes in both the primary and secondary categories combined.
Anse Boileau primary won in category 1, which was for Primary 3 and 4 with their project ‘Healthy Eating, Healthy lifestyle’.
In category 2 for Primary 5 and 6, it was Perseverance primary which clinched first prize with their ‘Free Electricity’ project. The project also won for being the Most Innovative. Anse Boileau came in second with ‘River-Source of Life’, which was also chosen for being the Most Environmentally-friendly project in the primary category.
Plaisance primary came in third in that category for their project, ‘Lemon-powered battery’, which used lemon to generate power to move a toy car.
In the secondary category, for Secondary 1 to 3, Anse Boileu school with ‘Cleaning Device’ project came in first position, followed by another group of students from the same school who came in second with the project, ‘Effect of video games on students’ health’. Belonie secondary came in third place with ‘Recycling electric fans’.
For the Secondary 4 to 5 category, Anse Boileau took home another first prize with their project ‘Palm oil and its kernel’, whereas Beau Vallon secondary came in second with ‘Plant a Wind Tree’, and Perseverance secondary came in third place with ‘Future Car Seychelles’.
In this category Anse Boileau won both the Most Innovative and Most environmentally-friendly projects with their projects ‘Cleaning device’ and ‘Palm oil and its kernel’ respectively.
Speaking to Seychelles NATION, the Anse Boileau primary school, which won the Most Environmentally-friendly project with ‘River-Source of Life’, under the guidance of their science teacher, France Rignace, said they were ecstatic to have won the award. The team comprising AliKah Cupidon, Estelle Anacoura, Abigail Cassime and Paul Govinden had focused their project on how to conserve water from rivers. According to Mr Rignace, they had carried out a lot of research involving the Public Utilities Corporation and the elders to learn about rivers
“From our project we found out that if we rely on desalination plant, it will be too costly for the country so it is important to protect rivers, ensure they are not polluted so they remain the main source of water for the country,” he said.
For the Anse Boileau secondary team, with their Most Environmentally-friendly project, ‘Cleaning device’, three out of the six students, namely Aliana Lesperance, Nahim Docteur and Zeba Mehareen, were present. Aliana said their device has a rotating sponge which cleans different surfaces, which they hope will become a popular cleaning item locally. They dedicated the prize to their other teammates who were not present.
Dautria Malcouzane of Perseverance primary was also delighted with her project, ‘Free electricity’ and thanked her classmates for initiating it. It promotes the use of solar-energy which she said is the future. The school’s science coordinator, Pauline Phiri, said the award was an honour for the school, and the whole community as the school engaged with parents, and other stakeholders.
“Has moved the school to another level where children are appreciating science and it is not ending in the school but going into the homes and into the community,” Ms Phiri said.
The projects will now be displayed at the school for all to see and for students to understand that science is not just at school but everywhere in their lives, and encourage more of them to have a deeper appreciation for it.
This year’s science fair was the 20th to be organised.
Patsy Canaya
