ASTI's Science Fairs : Tamil Schools Sweep International Science Awards Again

A few years back I wrote about Dr Yunus Yassin's Association of Science Technology and Innovation or ASTI which has been running the Science Fairs in Tamil primary schools for more than 15 years now.

Tamil schools (primary level) now consistently score the highest marks for Science and Mathematics in Malaysia. They have been No. 1 in Science and Mathematics for SIX years in a row - even beating the Chinese schools.

Despite some neglect and poor quality of teaching aids, etc the Tamil schools have been star performers in Science and Mathematics. 

This in very large part is due to the passion, commitment and stirling work done by the Association of Science Technology and Innovation or ASTI in encouraging Science in Tamil schools. 

First here are pictures and video:

Above and Below : The SJK (Tamil)  Arumugam Pillai won  gold medals at a Science fair  in Tunisia most recently.   Congratulations to the students and teachers. The students airfares and expenses are borne fully by their parents and families. 

Below :  The  SJK (Tamil) Ladang Sg Ular, Kulim, Kedah won the Diamond  and Gold award at the International Student Affairs Invention, Innovation and Design Competition (I-SAIID) 2019 held at UiTM Kedah recently. 

Here is a TV video clip (its in Tamil) about ASTI's latest Science Fair which was held yesterday in Shah Alam.  Bear in mind that these kids are all NOT MORE than 12 years old. The complexity of their Science experiments and innovation is mind boggling. 

Sadly I myself cannot understand much of the Tamil but what is very important (to my mind) are the commitments by the parents of these Tamil school children.  

In the video a parent talks about the Science fair -  but I could not decipher everything. This is "Sen Tamil' or classical Tamil which I cant understand much. 

Anyway the parents really want to see their kids progress in life and hence their commitment to the Science fairs is tremendous.

And an even greater contribution is being made by the Tamil school teachers who sacrifice huge amounts of after school hours to help the kids with their Science preparations. 

There is a lot more behind these Science fairs than just preparing the experiments. 

For example the children have to maintain a log book and diary where every step of their process has to be carefully recorded.  They also have to record the expenses incurred to prepare their Science experiments and they must keep receipts as proof of payments.  The Science fair grades the log books and even asks them to explain the steps they went through.

That is why these 10 - 12 year old Tamil school children have the confidence and ability to explain their Science projects at international Science competitions (in English).

Folks, everything needs money. 
Talk about doing maggie mee and nasi bujang. 
These ASTI folks have been really stretching the Ringgit. 

If you wish to contribute to a really worthy cause do contact ASTI at :

SECRETARIAT – PERTUBUHAN SAINS, TEKNOLOGI DAN INOVASI (ASTI)
(PPM-012-10-25102012)

No 16A, Jalan 21/12, Sea Park, 46300 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.

+603-7877 8571

+603-7872 9551

nsfyc00@gmail.com