Fortis’ Science and Technology Fair returns with rousing debate

After a two-year pause due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this week the FortisTCI National Science and Technology Fair returned, under the theme ‘empowering minds, inspiring innovation, and advancing science for a brighter future’.

The event returned on Thursday, March 2, with two other activities planned for March 8 and 9.

The staple event spanned ten successful years before the hiatus, and this year’s instalment will be featuring four competitions under the science fair umbrella.

These competitions are the FortisTCI National High School Science Debate, National Primary School Science Quiz, National

Science Poster Competition, and National Science Project Competition.

Commenting on the return of the long-running event, FortisTCI President and CEO Ruth Forbes stated: “The National Science and Technology Fair is one of our largest and longstanding community events. We are proud to steer the return of this grand occasion during Education Week.”

She said the fair and its associated championships provide a space where ideas are birthed, and innovation can blossom.

“Even during the event’s two-year hiatus, alternative programmes were introduced by FortisTCI to ensure these crucial

FortisTCI’s science and tech fair returns with science debate preliminaries areas in education remain at the forefront.

“We take pride in our role as good corporate citizens and our ongoing work in youth development and the wider community,” the CEO said.

The National High School Science Debate Preliminaries started the events’ line-up at Fortis headquarters on Thursday.

Seven high schools participated in this debate on a range of topics, such as the reversal of biodiversity loss, national recycling mandates, greenhouse gas emission targets, human genetic testing, and pharmaceuticals versus “farmerceuticals”, among others.

The debate preliminaries will be followed by the science quiz, debate semi-finals, finals, poster, and project competitions on Wednesday, March 8, and Thursday, March 9, 2023, at Gustavus Lightbourne Sports Complex during Education Week.

The National Science Project Competition comprises 18 entries from high and primary schools, while the science quiz has 14 primary schools registered to compete. The science poster competition has up to 16 primary and high schools registered. A closing awards ceremony and announcement of winners across all competitions will be held at the sports complex on Thursday, March 9, at 5pm.