Yogyakarta hosts science Olympiad

Slamet Susanto, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta

Encourage your children to read more, including J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter stories, to help them develop a healthy competitive spirit and imagination, stated President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Monday during the opening of a student science competition.

President Susilo was the guest of honor during the kick-off of the second International Junior Science Olympiad (IJSO) for junior high school students, which will run until Dec. 13, in Yogyakarta.

"Through healthy competitive spirit and imagination we can ensure a democratic world," the President said in his speech in front of the Olympiad's 329 participants from 36 countries, including Indonesia.

He encouraged the development of imagination in daily activities. "Many great minds are honed from their active imagination; people like Albert Einstein, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Thomas Alva Edison," he said.

And Yogyakarta, he added, was selected to host the Olympiad since it represents hospitality and the country's heritage.

"If you go to Magelang, you'll find the Borobudur Temple. The temple is a great scientific creation of the past. I like its history because it reminds us of past achievements that we should look up to," he said.

Also during the event, the President was flanked by First Lady Kristiani Herawati, Minister of National Education Bambang Sudibyo, Minister of Transportation Hatta Radjasa, Minister of Home Affairs M. Ma'ruf, Cabinet Secretary Sudi Silalahi and presidential spokesman Andi Mallarangeng.

Director of Junior High School Education at the National Education Office, Hamid Muhammad, said earlier that apart from the host country, 12 participating teams came from countries in Europe, 16 from Asia, three from the Americas and four from Africa.

He said the number of participating countries was down from the earlier expectation but higher than the previous event where teams from 29 countries participated.

"Previously, many countries had planned to send participants to the Olympiad, but canceled participation following travel warnings and the spread of bird flu here," explained Hamid.

Each participating country is entitled to send a team of eight members, including two officials. And the host, Indonesia is entitled to two teams. Out of the country's 12 participants, two are from Yogyakarta.

Outside the venue, while the President was opening the Olympiad, the police arrested five student protesters from the National Student Front who were holding a protest demonstration against the government's move to raise fuel prices. The protests took place before and during the opening ceremony with dozens of demonstrators that the police were able to disperse.