Six students and two supervising teachers representing Brunei Darussalam won Bronze and Silver Awards at the 9th ASEAN Plus Three Junior Science Odyssey (APTJSO-9), organised by the Ministry of Education Singapore, Science Centre Singapore and the ASEAN+3 Center for the Gifted in Science (ACGS) in collaboration with NUS High School in Singapore, Society of International Gifted in Science (SIGS) in Korea and ASEAN Secretariat which was held online for four days from June 20 to 23.

The participation was coordinated by the Ministry of Education through the Centre for the Development of Gifted and Talented Education (EDGE).

This programme is themed ‘Building an Environmentally Sustainable Future’. A total of 84 student participants, 28 teacher participants as supervising teachers from 10 ASEAN+3 countries namely Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, China and Korea participated in the programme.

The Brunei contingent was divided into two teams. Muhammad Ilyas bin Haji Ilham Rohaidi, Allyshasha Rani binti Alymashrol and Maryam Safwa binti Mazini from Jerudong International School and their supervising teacher Nurul Syazana binti Ismail from Belait Sixth Form Centre were in Team A. Meanwhile, Batrisyia Haafizhah binti Kassim, Sofia binti Haji Mohamad Yani and Syarah Rafeeqah binti Sharimin Hairul from International School Brunei together with their supervising teacher, Mohammad Raymie bin Haji Othman from Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Science College formed Team B.

Both teams won the Bronze Award in the science process skills challenge. Brunei Team A also received the Bronze Award in the sustainability challenge.

Meanwhile, for the Interdisciplinary Group Live Presentation, Allyshasha Rani and Sofia won the Silver Award, while Syarah Rafeeqah bagged Bronze.

Through the programme, students had the opportunity to participate in various activities and sessions such as listening to keynote speeches from invited speakers, science process skills challenge, STEM sustainability workshop, visit-a-scientist, interdisciplinary group project live presentation, closing ceremony and cultural exchange.

Teachers also had the opportunity to network among educators from the ASEAN+3 region on the environmental sustainability efforts undertaken by their respective schools.

-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin