Science Olympics kicks off

PEKANBARU, Riau: Minister of National Education Malik Fadjar opened on Tuesday the second National Science Olympics (OSN), here, in which 1,500 students from elementary to high schools across the country are expected to participate.

Mathematics, biology, physics, chemistry and computer science are among subjects included in the competition, which will run until Wednesday.

Participants will compete for 25 gold medals, as well as scholarships for places at seven prominent state universities, worth Rp 50 million (US$5,434) each.

The first olympics took place in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, last year, and was participated in by 790 students. -- JP