The International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) is a competition organized for secondary school students of all levels from all over the globe with the objective of promoting their creativity and cognitive skills in solving Chemistry related problems. While identifying and recognizing the most talented youngsters in Chemistry, the IChO helps to facilitate cordial relations between the youth of different nationalities and encourage networking.
IChO is one out of the 12 International Science Olympiads held in the world. The rest represent other disciplines, such as Mathematics, Physics, Biology, etc. IChO headquarters is based in Bratislava, Slovakia of the former Eastern Bloc. This event began in 1968 with the participation from Czechoslovakia, Poland and Hungary. Other countries joined the program subsequently and currently there are more than 80 participating countries. Sri Lanka participated as observers in IChO this year in France and during the previous year in Czech Republic. From next year we are illegible to participate as a team and to take part in the contest in Turkey.
In 2016, IChO steering committee officially accepted the Institute of Chemistry Ceylon (IChemC) as the official organizer to conduct the National Chemistry Olympiad competition in Sri Lanka. Since then IChemC is organizing local Chemistry Olympiad annually and named it as Chemistry Olympiad Sri Lanka (COSL). The first stage of the COSL is the preliminary selection exam conduct island wide. Then best 25-30 students will be invited to a practical and theory training workshop in the Institute prior to the final competition. Winners of COSL get medals, awards, certificates and scholarships. After the further training and screening process four students will be selected for the team to represent Sri Lanka at the IChO. Students who obtain more than 50% from preliminary selection exam will receive an invaluable commendation certificate too.
The 3rd COSL competition and training sessions were successfully held on 23rd and 24th May 2019 at the Institute of Chemistry headquarters, Adamantane House, Rajagiriya. Most of the participants told us that this event was an unforgettable experience and not just a competition for them, and they enjoyed and achieved ample knowledge during the practical sessions and encouraged their interest towards Chemistry.
Sugath Ravindu Sanwara from Ananda College, Colombo was the Gold medal winner of the COSL 2019. Thishanka Alahakoon from Dharmaraja College, Kandy and R. M. P. Akila Prabodha Rajapaksha from Bandaranayake College, Gampaha won the silver and bronze medals, respectively. In addition to the medals these three students were awarded scholarships to follow the Graduateship examination in Chemistry conducted by the IChemC. Winners of the COSL competition received their medals and prices at the annual sessions of the IChemC held on 10th June 2019 at the Sri Lanka Foundation, Colombo 07.
Preliminary examination of COSL will be held in January 2020 at 12 centers island wide and it is opened for students below 20 years of age as at 1st July 2020. Students who are following Chemistry as a subject for the Advance Level (local or UK) and those who have already sat for A/Ls in 2019 are eligible to participate if they are within this age limit. Online registration can be done through our official website; www.ichemc.edu.lk/cosl.
For more information please contact the Institute of Chemistry Ceylon through 0112861231 or 0112861653.
Don’t miss this opportunity to represent our mother land and win awards.
Dr. C.N. Ratnaweera
Chairman Chemistry Olympiad Sri Lanka
Institute of Chemistry
Rajagiriya
