This week persons at the Ministry of Education’s Science, Mathematics and Technology Fair held at Diamond Secondary School spoke about how the initiative has benefited them, what they have learnt and what can be done to improve the exhibition in the future.
Interviews by Lakhram Bhagirat and Photos by Anjuli Persaud
Anthony Seales – Diamond Secondary School (Student): `This year’s biennial Science Fair is very educating and I learned about many factors that can help to change the way we go about in life such as recycling. I have benefited from gaining more knowledge on how to protect the environment and it can be improved by holding more exhibitions so people would be more educated and also ensure that more schools participate.’
Ashowna Jaundoo – Timehri Primary School (Student): `I learned that coconut palm is important because it is accessible, affordable, makes very nice ornaments and it’s the tree of life. I also learned that cucumber can makes lots of things and I benefited by interacting with other students. The fair can be improved by inviting more schools to come out and show what they can add to saving the environment and so that I can learn different means of doing so.’
Candy Rohoman – Parent: `I had the privilege of visiting the different booths and it was impressive because I learned how to recycle my household garbage. I know that it affects everyone of us and I’m hoping the plans that the children have exhibited materialize, so that people can become more conscious about the environment and we can take precautions to save what we have. I think they can advertise it more because I have never seen the exhibition advertised before it opened so awareness is a major part.’
Jhonnette Chase – Judge: `I think that we learned how to implement ways and means of replacing fossil fuel, however as a Judge I feel the students should have researched a bit more and came up with ideas that suit our climate and economy. The students were receptive of the presentations made and gave themselves the opportunity to expand their horizons. It was good overall and I think that better planning and more schools should participate to improve the exhibition.’
Elvin Thomas – Diamond Secondary School (Student): `I learned that garbage can be turned into useful products and that’s a way of providing a solution to dumping. The exhibition was a good idea because it shows how to recycle and reuse our everyday garbage and other common things around the home that we can use to the fullest extent. The organizers can improve the exhibition by inviting schools from all the administrative regions and encouraging them to participate in the exhibition.’
Leela Yamin – Parent: `It was very interesting and I learned a lot from here, this is my first time at such an exhibition and there is not really much that can be done to improve it. I think that the students also learned a lot from it and it also gives them the opportunity to meet and interact with students from other schools.’
Susan Richards – Friendship Secondary School (Student): `Basically what I learned is how to recycle paper and how to reuse them in my everyday life. The exhibitions have broadened my knowledge on how to utilize the basic stuff in our environment and I think the fair should be held more often so that it could expose other students to the same so together we can make a better world for all.’
Babita Dhanpaul – Montrose Primary School (Teacher): `The response was good and the fair is very educational, it helps students to improve their experimental knowledge and gives me as a teacher a lot of ideas on how to conduct basic experiments with my students. It is my view that more students should participate in the fair and the exposure will be beneficial to all of them.’
Nanda Persaud – Bladen Hall Multilateral School (Student): `I learned how to protect the environment with local materials and also how to reduce the effect of greenhouse gases. I hope that the government really implements some of what is displayed here because if it is implemented it will be of great benefit to the population and they should aim to have more schools participating so that they will be exposed to the competitiveness of such exhibitions.’
Vanessa Johnson – Timehri Primary School (Teacher): `The exhibitions were good and creative; it gave the students the opportunity to explore the possibilities and also enhanced our knowledge as teachers. It also gave the students a chance to interact with the general public which will help them in improving their writing skills. I think to improve the exhibition there must be more schools and more time so that persons can inspect every aspect of the exhibition.’