Thousand school science societies to be set up

by Dhaneshi YATAWARA

One thousand school science societies will be set up islandwide next year by the Technology and Research Ministry, a spokesman for Ministry said.

The National Science Foundation will implement the new project with the assistance of the Ministry of Education.

"One of the key reasons to launch this project is that we see a decline in the number of students choosing science in schools, specially in Advanced Level classes where students select their fields of studies," Technology and Research Minister Prof. Tissa Vitharana said.The low number of scientists and researchers produced in the country is directly linked with the low number of schoolchildren interested in science.

Five-hundred school science societies are already functioning in Sri Lanka and the Ministry conducts programs through these societies to encourage new inventors and popularise scientific knowledge among the public. "The ministry will set up new school science societies to extend the project to popularise science," the Ministry spokesman said.

The Ministry plans to encourage students to attend world-class scientific competitions such as mathematics Olympiad as a less number of schoolchildren are interested in participating in such competitions.

The Technology and Research Ministry holds the National event on November 12 annually awarding the new inventors and winners of science competitions in all age groups to mark International Science Day.

A training program for journalists will be launched on November 23 to popularise scientific knowledge among children, the spokesman said.