Students shine at National Science Fair

Tylves Kamhanda
  • 6 Days Ago

Tutaleni High School learners Tylves Kamhanda and Iyaloo Martinus returned from this year’s National Science Fair with medals and a regional title after representing Erongo at the national competition.

The pair qualified for the national event after progressing through the cluster and regional rounds, earning their place among learners from across Namibia who had developed and presented science projects.

They travelled to the fair on 8 September, with the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) hosting the five-day event. Their first day was spent setting up their project boards and getting familiar with the fair, which brought together a range of projects from young scientists around the country.

The learners stayed at the Palm Hotel during their time in Windhoek.

The second day marked the start of judging. Each project was assessed by two judges, with a third judge brought in when the first two scores differed by 10 marks or more.

After the first round of judging, Kamhanda and Martinus took a short break with a visit to a local mall before returning to prepare for the next stage of the competition.

Day three brought the second round of judging. Some projects went before a third judge, while a select few were assessed by a fourth.

The fair also allowed learners to engage with people beyond the judging panel. Investors moved between exhibits, speaking to learners about their projects and, in some cases, exploring possible investment opportunities.

The fourth day was open to the public, allowing visitors to view the projects and speak directly to the young scientists. Investors continued their discussions with learners whose projects had attracted their interest during the earlier days of the fair.

The competition concluded on Friday with the prize-giving ceremony at the Windhoek Country Club.

Kamhanda received a silver medal for his project, while Martinus was awarded gold. Their combined results also contributed to Erongo being named Best Overall Region.

For the two Tutaleni learners, the journey from the cluster round to the national stage ended with more than individual medals. Their results highlighted the work being done by young scientists in the region and gave other learners an example of where a school science project can lead when they are prepared to take it further.