Latvian State Biology Olympiad

Guidelines for Olympiads (book, distributed to all school each September, information in website of Ministry of Education and Science, State Curriculum Center (IZM VIC) as well as in the home page of Latvian University Faculty of Biology and the Biology Teacher’s Association.)

Bonus for entering University Faculty of Biology (the winners may enter Faculty of Biology after graduating the secondary school out of competition)

School of young Biologists (Students from Faculty of Biology deliver lectures and organize labs for those who are interested in biology and also promote participating in IBO)

Excursion free for winners (some regions organize free excursions for teacher who teach the winners of National Olympiads; Biology Teacher’s Association invites IBO participants to join in 2 days excursion for teachers free of charge)

Diploma’s, Books (winners of Regional and National Olympiads get them from the Ministry of Education and Science with the signature of the Minister, as well as books from sponsors)

Regional press always writes about their participants of International Olympiads.

1 School Olympiad (Takes place in November in each school and teachers of biology are responsible for theoretical and practical tasks of this round. In several regions teachers prepare this round together – give the same tasks for all schools. In many schools they prepare tasks from previous Olympiads)

2 Regional Olympiad (Takes place in the first week of December. Comity of National Biology Olympiad prepares theoretical questions for this round. Olympiad takes place in one school of each region and jury from the teachers of biology corrects the written works. They select 10 best students and send their works to the Ministry of Education and Science. The Jury of National Biology Olympiad select 120 students out of approximately 400 hundred after checking worksheets of students)

3 State Olympiad (Takes place at the end of January in the Faculty of biology. On the first day students fulfil tests and write answers to the theoretical questions, but on the second day they do 4 laboratory tasks – in botanic, zoology, human anatomy and physiology and molecular biology. They work in mixed groups. Students from class 9 get different tasks from those, who are from class 11 and 12. Students of class 10 traditionally do not take part. If there are some gifted students in class 10, they can take part in the same group as class 11 students.)

4 Two extra competitions for the winners from class 10-12 in State Biology Olympiad take place in February  (1 theoretical and one practical round). Marks are gained to the result of National Biology Olympiad round and 4 best students are selected.

Theoretical and practical tests of National Biology Olympiad are prepared by the Jury of National Biology Olympiad – staff of the Faculty of Biology.

Worksheets are corrected manly by students of the faculty and other universities – previous participants of IBO.

7 days in June. Mainly in LU laboratories under the supervision of stuff.

National school books for biology and Cambpell’s Biology for IBO participants.

Books and diplomas. Money prize from the government for bronze, silver and gold medal winners of the International Olympiads.

Rare if ever

Symbolic money for the authors of tasks from the Ministry of Education and Science. Materials, used in laboratories, from Latvian University, books and booklets from Nature foundation, journal Geo.

The Ministry of Education and Science this year supports only National Olympiads with the help of European Structure Foundation project.

In Guideline (in book format and in electronic version) for all Olympiads. It is prepared each by the Ministry of Education and Science.

In the Ministry of Education and Science