As many as 1,280 students from across the country are competing for 420 medals at the National Science Olympics in Pekanbaru, Riau, which began this week.

Culture and Education Minister Muhadjir Effendy said the competition was aimed at inspiring participants to become scientists and contribute to the advancement of the nation. 

"In 20 years, these children will determine [the direction of] this nation. These 1,200 students are being mentored and their talent nurtured. They will become a source of strength in advancing science in the future," Muhadjir said during the opening ceremony on Monday as quoted by tempo.co.

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Hamid Muhammad, the ministry's director general of elementary and secondary education, noted that students from elementary to secondary school were participating in the competition, which was on nine science subjects. 

"The competition will take place at various schools in Pekanbaru," Hamid said. 

Students will compete for 70 gold medals, 140 silver and 210 bronze in various subjects, including mathematics, physics, chemistry, geography and information technology.

Participants went through an extensive selection process conducted at their respective schools across regencies and at the provincial level to compete in the national competition, Hamid said, adding that it was the 16th consecutive year that the ministry was hosting the event on science and technology. (liz/kes)