School wins global science competition

Imran Mojib, Special Correspondent

A team from Pristine Private School in Dubai has won the Cambridge Upper Secondary Science Competition for the Middle East and North Africa region, announced the Cambridge International.

The competition was open to Cambridge schools, in which teams of students studying for Cambridge IGCSEs investigated their own choice of scientific topics. The winning project involved investigating the water purity level by filtration using carbon filter.

The aim of the competition, held for the first time this year, was to give learners the chance to develop their passion for science, while also developing their skills in collaboration, communication, innovation and creativity.

Ariba Nasir, a student in Year 10 at Pristine Private School, said, “The main purpose of the experiment was to highlight the lack of clean water available for consumption in various developing countries. We were able to gain additional information about water channels and enhance our awareness of the water filtration process and the materials used. My team members and I were very pleased that we were able to conduct the experiment with satisfactory results.”

Sonika Saxena, Head of Science, Pristine Private School, said, “This is a classic example of ‘Science for a Cause’. We wanted to find a solution to the problem of generating clean drinking water economically, thus catering to millions of people in developing countries who still do not have access to pure water. The team’s strong imagination led to invention of this innovative method of low cost filtration. This will further inspire many more to find solutions to real world problems using their scientific knowledge.”

The competition involved small teams, each supported by a teacher, spending 20 to 25 hours on a science project involving practical or investigative work outside of normal curriculum time. The students were tasked with producing a report and presenting their evidence and conclusions to their school through visual media such as PowerPoint presentations and posters.

Submitted projects were internally assessed by a teacher in the school, with marking criteria provided by Cambridge International. Projects that achieved high marks were awarded a Gold, Silver or Bronze certificate. Those deemed gold standard were then submitted to Cambridge International for recognition in the regional and international categories of the competition and judged by a panel of leading experts.