Schools Health Quiz scales new heights with GlaxoSmithKline

50 schools in keen tussle; outstation schools outsmart Colombo counterparts

Outstation schools came to the fore beating their more fancied peers from Colombo at the 2007 Schools Health Quiz worked out at the BMICH last week.

Some 300 students from nearly 50 schools that qualified to participate (out of 130 that applied on a first come first served basis) from all over Sri Lanka including the north and east tested their knowledge on health and health-related subjects for more than four hours in a keen competition. The team from Central College Kuliyapitiya, five girls and a boy emerged champions. Sangamittha Balika M. V., was placed second, while St. Paul's Milagiriya came third.

Organised by the Respiratory Disease Study Group (RDSG) and the National Asthma Council (NAC), the quiz was sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals (GSK).

Each school fielded a team of six students, and the quiz comprised five rounds of 10 questions each. Central College Kuliyapitiya and Sangamittha Balika M. V., tied for first place necessitating a tie-break round of five questions. Seven of the top 10 schools at the end of the quiz were from the outstations.

The bulk of the questions asked at the quiz related to asthma and other respiratory diseases, which are common in Sri Lanka today. According to Dr. Kirthi Gunasekera, Head of the National Asthma Council, recent studies have shown that one out of three children in Sri Lanka are afflicted with respiratory problems at some time. Speaking at the event, he said the Council was grateful to GSK for supporting its efforts to generate better awareness about respiratory diseases among young people.

The winner and runners-up at the Schools Health Quiz received handsome trophies and medals. Additionally, every student who competed received an attractive certificate.