DAMMAM: A total of 44 boy and girl pupils have qualified to represent the country in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair to be held in Los Angeles in May. The winners were selected out of 700 pupils who participated in the National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity (Ebda'a) Sunday. The participants introduced more than 500 projects. The final arbitration phase started last Wednesday and concluded Sunday in Dhahran. More than 200 arbitrators, specialists and academics from universities, research centers and the Ministry of Education, in addition to international arbitrators, took part in the event. Prince Muhammad Bin Fahd, Emir of the Eastern Province, honored the winning female and male pupils, and said in his speech that the Olympiad will encourage pupils to research and innovate, make use of scientific expertise and financial and technical support to qualify for international competitions. Prince Faisal Bin Abdullah Bin Muhammad, Minister of Education and Vice President of the King Abdul Aziz and his Companions Foundation for the Gifted (Mawhiba), said in a speech that knowledge is the main engine of advancement and comprehensive development. He said the ministry and the foundation are focusing on innovators through different programs. He noted that an amount of SR9 million was allocated for the support of extracurricular programs of the King Abdullah Project for the Development of Education; and to identify, sponsor and prepare the gifted for the future. Dr. Khaled Bin Abdullah Al-Sebti, Deputy Minister of Education for Boys Education and Secretary General of Mawhiba, said the national innovation Olympiad has achieved the hoped-for results. Innovative Saudi boys and girls provide evidence that the country is on the right track and has human treasures that will help develop a knowledge-based society, he said. He said the event showed that the pupils are able to innovate and create, and find solutions to many problems. This will help to continue the country's development. He said there is now greater cooperation and coordination between Mawhiba and the Ministry of Education to assist the gifted. There were 11,000 pupils who participated in the Olympiad primary stages, of which 700 reached the finals.
