Rules & Regulations

This Competition is open to all secondary schools in Malaysia. Schools are only allowed to send in one team per category. Each team must consist of three students, all with valid Malaysian identity cards and accompanied by a teacher-in-charge at all times.
There are two categories in the competition - Category I: Open to Forms 1, 2 & 3 students and Category II: Open to Forms 4 & 5 students.
All students participating in the competition must be in smart school uniforms during each segment of the competition. The students shall be required to present their identity cards and confirmation letters issued by The Star for verification prior to commencement of each competition at the venue.
No substitution or omission of any team member shall be permitted at any time and the same team members shall be present at all segments of the competition.
The top winning teams from both categories of all 14 state challenges will represent the state in the National Challenge at Swiss-Garden Hotel, Kuala Lumpur on the 16th and 17th October 2010.
There are five (5) challenges at the National Challenge:

Day 1:

First Challenge-

The challenge will be based on a specific hands-on task that requires each group to assemble a model using Mathematics and Science principles, which they must present to the judges.
All teams in both categories will proceed to the Second Challenge.

Second Challenge-

The challenge will be based on a specific minds-on task that requires each group to solve a creative problem-solving poser and submit written logical explanations to the judges.
All teams in each category will proceed to the Third Challenge.

Third Challenge-

Teams in each category to answer questions in English based on General Knowledge, Mathematics and Science principles through an interactive device. Team members to answer individually with collective team scores taken into account.
The top five (5) teams from both categories that have the highest cumulative scores after the three challenges on Day 1 will proceed on to Day 2 challenges.

Day 2:

Fourth Challenge-

The top five (5) teams in each category will be required to present their model created during the First Challenge on Day 1. The oral presentation with the aid of a PowerPoint will require the team to explain the specific Mathematics and Science principles in English, which they have applied in assembling their model.

Fifth Challenge-

The top five (5) teams in each category will be required to answer questions in English based on General Knowledge, Mathematics and Science principles (based on the speed quiz buzzer system), individually as well as collectively.

Breakdown of the competition:

Challenge	Percentage marks allocation	Content material tested
Hands-on	30%	- Application of Science and Maths knowledge, as well as creativity and innovation to construct models using simple, home-based and disposable items.
Minds-on	10%	- Creative problem-solving skills and out of the box thinking
MCQ quiz	20%	- General knowledge, Science and Maths. - General knowledge on current affairs, Geography , History and Sports - Basic knowledge on IT and Banking.
Oral presentation	20%	- Explaining the concept of Science and Maths used in constructing the model - Testing and commissioning the model - Superiority and uniqueness of the model - Ways to improve the model - Ways to commercialise the model
Buzzer quiz	20%	- General knowledge on Science and Maths - General Knowledge on current affairs, Geography, History and Sports - Basic knowledge on IT and Banking

All team members are strictly not permitted to be in possession of any electronic devices, including but not limited to calculators, handphones, cameras, PDAs, etc during the competition.
Copying or attempting to copy and/or obtaining assistance from illegitimate sources during the competition by any team member shall disqualify the entire team.
The Organisers shall not be responsible for any damage to and/or loss of personal belongings and/or personal injuries sustained in the course of the Competition.
The Judges’/Organisers’ decision in all matters relating to the competition shall be final and absolute and binding on the participants.
All prizes are strictly not transferable, assignable, exchangeable or redeemable by the contestants in any form or manner other than that specified by the Organisers. All specific or special terms and conditions that are attached to the Prizes (whether by the Organisers or sponsors) must be adhered to by the Contestants.
If at any time during the competition or after the competition, a winner is found not complying with any of the Rules and Regulations, the Organisers reserve the right to cancel and/or recover the claimed prize at its sole discretion. In such a situation, the winning entry or the winning team will be disqualified and a new winning team will be determined by the panel of judges.
In consideration of the Organisers offering the contestants the opportunity to participate, the Contestants hereby unconditionally and irrevocably agree and shall ensure that all team members, the teacher-in-charge and the school authorities agree to the following :-

The members of the winning team shall be available for post-competition production, recording and publicity of the competition, such as

interviews (which shall be videotape recorded); and/or
taking of still photographs, audio or visual recording for promotions and publicity purposes.

The Organisers reserve the right to photograph/videotape the team members of any Contestants/winners individually and/or collectively and use them along with their personal particulars at any time for news and commercial purposes, without prior notice or consent.
All entries and submissions including but not limited to the models and ideas shall become the property of the Organisers.

The Organisers reserve the right to vary, postpone or reschedule the dates and venues of the competition or extend the competition period at their sole discretion.
By participating in this competition, the Contestants agree and shall ensure that all team members, the teacher-in-charge and the school authorities agree to be bound by the competition Rules and Regulations and all decisions made by the Organisers.

Specific rules and regulations for each challenge

Hands-On Challenge

Each participating team will be given the same challenge or task via an instruction manual on the day of competition to be successfully completed within a duration of 2 hours. Teams must design a model with an aim or objective prescribed in the instruction manual using mainly disposable or simple materials that will be provided.
Each team must comprise three registered participants.
- Each team should have a team leader. The team leader will coordinate the work and act as the main spokesperson.
- The team leader will discuss with his teammates and come up with the model design for the hands-on challenge. The model design does not need to be submitted.
- Some tasks require working in pairs while others can be done individually. Recognize the individual and teamwork tasks. The team leader should assign the tasks accordingly to his teammates so that the challenge can be completed successfully within the stipulated time.
- For efficient teamwork, each team member should be fully involved in the challenge, have full knowledge of the challenge and must be able to act as the spokesperson.
Participants must follow standard safety rules and regulations. In the event that the use of sharp devices such as thumbtacks and penknives are required, participants must adhere to safety rules and take precautions to avoid injuries. Please use the gloves provided when handling such devices and when using glue. The Organisers will not be responsible for any injuries incurred by the participants.
Teams are only allowed to use materials and apparatus provided by the sponsors.
The materials provided allow more than one way to design the model. This is left entirely to the discretion of the participating team.
A participating team may choose to use all or a portion of the materials and apparatus provided. All participating members of the hands-on challenge competition are not allowed to bring in any stationery during the competition. All materials needed for the competition will be provided by the Organisers.
Suggested time management:
a) Time management is at the discretion of the team. However, teams are recommended to utilize the allocated 2 hours in the following manner:
- 10 minutes – planning and drawing the model
- 1 hour 30 minutes – construction and operation of the model
- 20 minutes – preparing for oral presentation, testing and commissioning overall inspection and final touches to the design
Each team is allowed to display only one model within the work area.
Each model must be stable, durable, firm and displayed in the best possible position for judges' viewing.
Teachers, parents and on-lookers must follow strict rules of non-interference throughout the hands-on challenge with regards to:
- Standing beyond the competition area
- Not gesturing or communicating in any form with the participants
Violation of the above rules will cause disqualification or marks deduction.
The judges reserve the final right and authority to refuse acceptance of any model constructed deemed unsafe, unsuitable or not in compliance with the objective of the challenge.
Plagiarism or copying of ideas from other teams will result in disqualification. No appeal will be accepted.
Failure to adhere to the stipulated rules and regulations will result in the disqualification of the team.
After 2 hours, the participants must leave the competition area to allow the judges to evaluate the models.
Judges' decisions are final and binding.

Minds-on challenge

Teams will be seated at tables and given a poser to solve within TWENTY (20) minutes.
Team members are allowed to discuss the answers, which should be submitted in written format.
Judges’ decisions are final and binding.

MCQ quiz

Team members will be seated separately and given individual keypads with which they are each required to answer all 20 questions.
No discussions among team members are allowed.
If all three team members key in the correct answer for a particular question, bonus points will be awarded.
The time allocation for each question varies depending on the level of difficulty.
No marks will be deducted for wrong answers. Hence, each team member is advised to attempt all questions.

Oral presentation

Each team is allocated 5 minutes for an oral presentation.
During the presentation, testing and commissioning of the model must be carried out. The operation of the model must meet the aims of the challenge and must be clearly exhibited to the judges.
Students are allowed to use PowerPoint, props and other innovative ideas to provide added value to their presentation.

Buzzer quiz

This challenge comprises of FIFTEEN (15) open-ended questions.
The first NINE (9) questions are answered individually. For three rounds, each team member takes it in turn to have the opportunity to buzz in to answer the questions
The last SIX (6) questions can be answered collectively as a team. Any team member can buzz in to answer.
Teams are advised to formulate their own strategy for the buzzer quiz which tests quick thinking.
This is the only challenge with a penalty of marks deduction for wrong answers.
A cleverly-devised strategy is necessary to attempt as many questions as possible with minimum loss of marks to emerge as overall champions.