Science camps held in Davao City

MANILA, Philippines - The Science Education Institute (SEI) has opened the first science camp in Davao City, aimed at improving science teaching and learning in Mindanao.

Over 240 students and teachers from 60 public elementary schools have participated in the science camp under the SEI’s new program Mindanao Opportunities for Vitalized Education for the Upgrading of Science (MOVE UPS).

SEI director Dr. Ester Ogena said the MOVE UPS science camp would make the students experience real life situations involving science and mathematics and make them see how everything really works.

“Our students will have first-hand experience on how a certain concept in science works and see the applications of science in our everyday lives. Through the MOVE UPS Science Camp, our students will learn that science is very ordinary, is around us and could be used to our advantage,” Ogena said.

With the theme “At Play with Science: Making It Work for You,” the science camp also aims to develop creativity, originality and artistic abilities of pupils, Ogena added.

Among the activities included in the science camp are science trail, math trail, quiz shows for Science and Mathematics and a poster-making contest.

Ogena said MOVE UPS aims to provide a favorable learning environment in Muslim dominated schools to encourage and help students understand, appreciate and value the importance of science.

“We want more of our students in Mindanao to qualify in science high schools,” she said.

An aptitude test for the students would be developed to identify potential pupils for the Philippine Science High School-Central Mindanao Campus

The MOVE UPS project includes management training for teachers and principals; annual science camps; laboratory equipment support; development of aptitude tests; development of parents and principals handbook, and a manual of the project; and support for library and reference materials.

Ogena said every summer, science exhibits, quiz shows, math trails, poster-making contests and presentation of researches and mathematical investigations would be conducted to entice the students to venture into science and mathematics.