Ministry to hold science olympiad

JAKARTA: The National Education Ministry is set to hold the National Science Olympiad for university students throughout the nation.

The ministry's director general for higher education, Fasli Jalal, told a press conference in Jakarta on Tuesday that the annual event was intended to spotlight outstanding students who excel in science.

"This is talent scouting; bright students will definitely help this country become more competitive," he said, adding that the winners in the event will undergo preparations to compete at the International Science Olympic.

This year, the ministry expects to see 10,000 students competing in chemistry, physics and mathematics events. The National Science Olympic held in 2008 saw nearly 5,000 students from all over Indonesia compete in the event.

Registration will be open until Oct. 26. A regional competition will take place on Nov. 3 while the national Olympics will be held in Jakarta from Dec. 4 to 9.

State-owned oil and gas producer Pertamina, the sponsor of the event, will award a total of Rp 2 billion (US$ 202,000) to the winning participants. - JP