Little Willow Foundation private school in Mthatha has fared extremely well at this year’s Science and Technology Olympiad, after three learners at the school were among the top three performing learners at the provincial finals held recently.
The Natural Science Olympiad is hosted by the Department of Basic Education in conjunction with the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA).
The aim of the competition is to encourage learners, those who love science and those who have never been exposed to the fascinating world of science, to take physical sciences, life sciences and mathematics at high school level and to consider a career in science, engineering, or technology.
Little Willow Foundation Grade 6 learner, Libhongo Msindo (12), took the first place, beating fellow Grade 6 learners from across the Eastern Cape at the provincial finals held at the Trinset Teacher Training Centre in Mthatha on September 23.
Grade 5 learner, Onwaba Ngcenge (11), came third in his grade, while Grade 4 learner, Amila Stemela (10), took the second place.
“We are very proud of the outstanding performance of our learners at this year’s Olympiad, which has really put our school on the map and made it more appetising to prospective parents and learners.
“Taking part in the competition also boosts the confidence of the learners and we hope it will also encourage others to participate in the upcoming competition,” said school principal, Poomani Govender.
She further added that learners from the school have always featured among the top performers since the school first entered the Olympiad in 2018.
Participants had to write a science examination paper as part of the finals and were scored according to the highest marks achieved in their examinations to determine the top three performers in each category and grade.
The three learners received trophies and medals for their outstanding achievements.
