RI students prepare for academic Olympics

RI students prepare for academic Olympics

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman
Djojonegoro hailed yesterday the 22 students slated to compete in
the Mathematics, Chemistry and Physics Olympics in Canada and
Argentina.

Wardiman told a press conference that this would help raise
Indonesia's profile abroad, and that he would do all he could to
help the boys improve their skills.

He said that Indonesia had participated 11 times in the Math
Olympics, five times in the Physics Olympics and three times in
Computer Olympics. But Indonesia had not competed in a Chemistry
Olympics.

He said that this year there should be a search for students
from the first year of senior high school to participate in
future student Olympics until their last year of high school.

University of Indonesia professor of chemistry Nur Franisal
said that eight students would compete in the 28th International
Physics Olympics in Sudbury, Canada, six students in the 38th
International Math Olympics in Mar del Plata, Argentina, and four
students in the 29th International Chemistry Olympiad in
Montreal, Canada.

The Physics Olympics will be held from July 13 to July 21, the
Chemistry Olympics from July 13 to July 22 and the Math Olympics
from July 18 to July 31.

Wardiman said that young people deserved encouragement from
their parents, teachers, schools and communities for their love
and interest in math, chemistry, and physics despite the
shortcomings of the current education system.

"Girls should also be encouraged to develop their abilities in
math and science, not to be told by society that their positions
are relegated to domestic tasks like cooking and sewing," he told
the participants; all of them boys. (01)