Priyanka Kurugala

Four Sri Lankan students won Silver, Bonze and Merit awards at the International Biology Olympiad (IBO) 2012 concluded last week in Singapore.

Pramith Ruwanpathirana of Royal College, Colombo won a Silver, Prasan Thurul Warnakula of Joseph Vas College, Wennappuwa won a Bronze and Janidu Gunarathna of Royal College, Colombo and Madhushani Rodrigo of Vishaka Vidyalaya, Colombo secured Merit awards, Sri Lankan Biology Olympiad Coordinator, Institute of Biology, Prof Hiran Amarasekera said.

Over 230 pre-university Biology students and 205 jury members from 59 countries participated in the competition, he said.

Silver medallist, Pramith Ruwanpathirana obtained the best results in the Bio Science stream in the 2011 GCE A/L examination. Bronze medallist, Prasan Thurul Warnakula has not yet completed the GCE (A/L) examination. Other students intend to follow Medical degree courses in Sri Lanka.

The IBO is an internationally conducted competition, where students worldwide compete for medals. The first International Olympiad was held in Eastern Europe in 1959 in Mathematics.

The remaining disciplines are as follows: Physics (1967), Chemistry (1968) and Informatics in (1989). Biology had its first Olympiad in 1990. Science Olympiads as compared with sports are held annually and intended for secondary school students.

The level of questions is above the standard for secondary school education in the world. Theoretical/practical question papers are 5 hours long, each demanding persistence, determination and discipline.

Gold medals are awarded not only to the top achiever, but to the top 10 percent of participants. The Olympiad offers an opportunity for international exchange.

Students were selected out of 2,300 participants in the Sri Lankan Biology Olympiad competition, conducted by the Institute of Biology, in collaboration with Sri Lankan universities and the Education Ministry, in September last year. Professors Hiran Amarasekera and H G Nandadasa from the Sri Jayewardenepura University and Prof M J S Wijeyaratne from the Kelaniya University participated as jury members.

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SL wins Silver, Bronze and Merit at IBO 2012