Sri Lankan students won Silver, Bronze and Merit Awards at the International Biology Olympiad 2012 concluded last week in Singapore.

The winning students at the International Olympiad 2012

Pramith Ruwanpathirana of Royal College, Colombo won a Silver Medal, Prasan Thurul Warnakula of Joseph Vaz College, Wennappuwa won a Bronze Medal and Janidu Gunarathna of Royal College, Colombo and Madhushani Rodrigo of Vishaka Vidyalaya, Colombo won Merit awards.

Over 230 pre-university Biology students and 205 Jury members from 59 countries participataed in this competition. Silver medalist Pramith Ruwanpathirana obtained the best results in the Bio Science stream based on the 2011 GCE (A/L) Examination results. Bronze medalist Prasan Thurul Warnakula is just preparing for the GCE (A/L) Examination next month. Other students intend to follow medical degree courses in Sri Lanka.

These students were selected out of 2300 students who participated in the Sri Lanka Biology Olympiad competition conducted by the Institute of Biology in collaboration with Sri Lankan Universities and the Education Ministry in September last year. Prof. Hiran Amarasekera and Prof H.G. Nandadasa from the Sri Jayawardenepura University and Prof M.J.S. Wijeratne from the Kelaniya University also participated at the International Biology Olympiad as Jury Members.

Some of the characteristics of the Science Olympiad as compared with those for sports are that these are held annually and intended for secondary schools students. The level of questions is above the standard for secondary school education in the world.

The theoretical/practical question papers are of five hours duration, each demanding persistence and determination, as well as discipline. Gold medals are awarded not only to the top achievers but to the top 10% of participants. The Olympiad also offers an opportunity for international exchange.

The Internatioal Biology Olympiad is an internationally conducted prestigious competition, in which bright students from contries all over the world compete for medals. The first intermational Olympiad was held in Eastern Europe in 1959 in Mathematics. The remaining disciplines quickly followed. Physics (1967), Chemistry (1968) and Informatics in 1989. Biology had its first Olympiad in 1990.

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Sri Lankan students win at International Olympiad 2012