Ncst Presents Cheque To Kamuzu Academy

The National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST) has today, 11th February presented a cheque to Kamuzu Academy as its contribution towards the holding of the school’s national science fair which is an annual event that takes place to showcase innovations done in secondary schools in Malawi using locally found products.
The competition is open to all secondary schools in the country including private, public and Community Day Secondary Schools (CDSS).
Kamuzu Academy and its collaborators have organized this fair since 2009. Apart from NCST the other collaborators are Press Trust, Anglia Books, Lab Enterprises, Arkay Plastics, Airtel, MALSWITCH, Malawi Institute of Engineers, among others.
For the five years that the fair has taken place, 130 schools in the country have taken part and students have showcased great innovations. Some of the outstanding innovations over the years have been the use of a tomato to make a battery which was done by Euthini Secondary School in 2012 and the project by Majiga CDSS that used water to recharge a battery in the same year. Another great innovation came from Mwatibu CDSS which created a refrigerator using local materials.
Speaking at the Cheque Presentation Ceremony, the acting headmaster of Kamuzu Academy, Mr. Andrew Wilde thanked the NCST for this award, that is not only useful, but also timely as the preliminary work for the 2016 School science fair starts in the coming week and this is the money that will be used for those activities. He said this donation will go a long way to improve the teaching and learning of science as it will enable the students to have yet again the fundamental experience where, they do not only give in their efforts, but they also take away a lot after learning from the other schools as well.
As he presented the cheque which is worth over 1,600,000, Malawi kwacha, the Director General of NCST, Mr. Anthony Muyepa- Phiri said NCST is very pleased to be yet again part of this great cause which showcases scientific talent and innovation from the students in Malawi. He says the holding of this fair is in line with the NCST mission which is “to promote, support, coordinate and regulate the development and application of science, technology and innovation in order to create wealth and improve the quality of life”. He indicated that the improvement of the quality of life starts with such small steps as the displays that are exhibited at the fair, where the students apply science in real life situations which would later be turned into great business ventures that create wealth, while at the same time improving the quality of life for Malawians.
In getting involved in such fairs NCST is fulfilling one of its functions which states that NCST shall;
“Organize national science and technology fairs and open days so as to promote national science and technology awareness and culture, documentation, consolidation and dissemination of relevant science and technology information and generally promote the role of information technology”
This year’s schools science fair takes place at the usual venue, Kamuzu Academy from 3rd to 6th July and is open to all secondary schools that teach science.