THE state government’s bid to promote students’ interest in science brought Education Minister James Merlino to the second annual Southern Peninsula Principals’ Network 2015 Annual Science Fair.
With more than 500 year 5-7 students were at the fair, being involved in science experiments, demonstrations and offering their ideas.
The fair, held in the hall at the New Peninsula Church, Craigie Rd, Mt Martha, aims to support science teaching among government schools.
Schools at the fair included Boneo, Balnarring, Somers, Tyabb Railway and Dromana primary schools, Dromana, Somerville and Western Port secondary colleges, Peninsula Special School and Red Hill Consolidated.
Mr Merlino said the government was encouraging “excellence in STEM – science, technology, engineering and maths – across the school system”.
“The Secondary STEM Catalysts program will build on Victoria’s existing strengths and train 60 teachers across 30 schools to become experts who can inspire fellow teachers to bring STEM alive for students in years 7 and 8,” he said.
“The $27 million Primary Mathematics and Science Specialists initiative will train 200 primary school teachers to work alongside other teachers in over 100 of the state’s most disadvantaged primary schools.”
Mr Merlino said 10 new tech schools “will be high-tech centres of learning excellence right across Victoria”.
First published in the Mornington News – 24 November 2015
