Biology Olympiad

We are pleased to inform you that the Society of Biology Teachers in collaboration with the Mauritius Institute of Education is organizing a Biology Olympiad (BO) between April 2010 and July 2010 in Mauritius.  The BO aims at promoting biology education and at enabling pupils to show excellence in learning biological sciences.

The Olympiad is open to upper six biology students of all schools of the four zones.  It is a competition testing academic aptitude in Biology and is a two step-wise process as shown below:
• Step I
o Registration of entries is  being conducted at the participating schools on  a prescribed pro-forma
o Candidates will undergo a standard examination in biology at a selected school in each zone on 08  April 2010.  (*see more information below)

• Step II
o Candidates shortlisted on the basis of their performance in step I will undergo another examination at an appropriate site  in July 2010
o The NBO will end with a prize giving ceremony. Interesting cash prizes will be offered to the winner and two runners up as well as to the winning schools.

Step I:  Prelimary Competition

1. The preliminary competition will  take place on 08 April 2010. It will be conducted
     in the following schools:
Zone 1: Droopnath  Ramphul SSS, Pamplemousses
Zone 2: Ebene (Girls) SSS, Ebene
Zone 3: Royal College Curepipe
Zone 4: SARO, Phoenix

    On the day, you will be given your index number and will be directed towards appropriate 
   classrooms in the selected school.

2.  Schools are invited to send to the MIE (Attn: Dr R.Bholah, Fax No: 467 3545), through
      the Zone Directors, the names of a maximum of six best HSC Biology students per  
      school with phone numbers - residential and mobile as well as email addresses) by 31
      March 2010.

About the Prelimary Examination

The Prelimary examination will include a paper of 3 hours with questions based on the  Advanced Subsidiary Level  (AS) Biology syllabus 9700 . It will include three sections:

Section A : It will consist of 40 multiple choice questions. All questions will be of the direct choice type with four options.

Section B: It will consist of 3 structured questions of variable mark value.

Section C: It will have 1 Essay type question.

The AS  Content of the Biology syllabus 9700  include the following:

A Cell Structure
B Biological Molecules
C Enzymes
D Cell Membranes and Transport
E Cell and Nuclear Division
F Genetic Control
G Transport
H Gas Exchange
I Infectious Disease
J Immunity
K Ecology

Step II : Final biology Competition

The best candidates shortlisted on the basis of their performance in step I will undergo another examination at an appropriate site  in July 2010.  The final  examination will include a paper of 3 hours with questions based on the  Advanced Subsidiary Level  (AS) Biology syllabus 9700 and candidates will be  assessed in both theoretical and practical based questions. 

For any correspondence :

Should any SchoolManagers/Rectors, Biology Educators or students have any queries on the above, they are kindly requested to contact  Dr Ravhee Bholah, Coordinator, Biology Olympiad (President, SBT ; Senior Lecturer, MIE) on the following address :      ravhee.bholah@gmail.com, Tel : 401 6555, 467 3545)

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Biology Olympiad 2010

Rectors/Educators are advised to communicate the relevant information as shown below for your respective zone to your students participating in the above event

Zone	Examination Centres	Examination Rooms		Contact Person at School	Contact Person from SBT
1	DroopnathRamphul SSS, Pamplemousses	Room 13	Room 14	Mr Mr A.C Mungroo	Mrs J. Naugah
2	Ebene (Girls) SSS, Ebene	Room 2- Omega	Room 2- Delta	Mrs F.Burnally	Dr RBholah
3	Royal College, Curepipe	Room 0.12	Room 0.13	Mr S. Pauvaday	Dr R Bhagooli
4	Sir Abdool Raman Osman SSS, Phoenix	Room 1	Room 2	Mr H. Goolab	Dr A Rumjaun

The examination will start at 0930 hrs and will end at 12 30 hrs at all Examination Centres.

All participants are advised to :

• liaise with the above respective contact persons at the respective school for further information (e.g Index number..etc)
• be present in the school by 0900hrs
• be seated in their respective examination room by 0915 hrs.

Kindly also note that the general information regarding the BO examination paper.This has already been posted on the website of the MIE (www.mieonline.org).

Dr R.Bholah

BO Coordinator

SBT/MIE