KEETMANSHOOP – The Oranjemund Private School and Suiderlig Secondary School were crowned the top primary and secondary schools, respectively at the //Kharas Science Fair which ended here last Friday.
The three-day science fair saw the two schools each walk away with a microscope voucher worth N$14 000 donated by the Anglo Foundation and the Debmarine-Namdeb Foundation.
From the 104 projects presented at the fair, Likius Ashipala from Suiderlig Secondary School was the overall winner of the science fair and walked away with a laptop, after showcasing a device that sense and detects illegal tampering with electricity.
Ashipala, in an interview with Nampa, said: “I did this because even though electricity companies are doing their best to protect their properties from illegal connections while delivering electricity to the nation, such activities still happen”.
This device can detect illegal activities and at the same time, notify the electricity company. The device uses senses that are beyond human hearing. Ashipala was also awarded the overall winner for the senior secondary category.
Joy Linane from Oranjemund Private School took the top Junior Primary award, while David Halweendo from Ambrosius Hamutenya Primary School and Summer Mature from Oranjemund Private School shared the senior primary overall winner award.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, the science fair chief judge Connie Willemse urged more investment in the science fair at their respective schools in order to prepare learners for the regional fair.
“Schools, let’s invest more in the science fair as it offers a learning experience for the learners. To the learners, even if today you don’t walk away with an award let this be a learning opportunity for you to do differently next time. You can be second best this time but you can come back next year and be your best,” she said.
Meanwhile, 12 learners were chosen to represent the region at the national science fair taking place in September in Windhoek.
– Nampa