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Media Release
Minister of Education Debbie Schäfer
Western Cape

16 August, 2017

Western Cape learners rake in international awards - 29^th International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI 2017) in Iran.

Statement by Minister Debbie Schäfer, Minister of Education

For the second time this week, I have the pleasure of announcing that Western Cape learners have again brought home international awards, this time from the 29^th International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI 2017) in Tehran.

All nine provinces participated, with the national final round comprising 17 learners from four provinces (GT, EC, KN, WC) taking place from 8^th - 9^th October 2016.

The international finals took place in Tehran from 28^th July - 4^th August 2017.

The International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI) is the top programming contest in the world, with 304 contestants from 83 countries.

South Africa was the top programming team in Africa, finishing ahead of Morocco, Nigeria, and Tunisia in this computer programming contest.

South Africa was also the only African team to bring home IOI medals from Tehran.

The three bronze medal winners were in Grade 12 in Western Cape schools in 2016 and now all attend UCT. They are David Broodryk (Westerford High School), Yaseen Mowzer (Fairbairn College) and Bronson Rudner (SACS).

Congratulations to all winners and the South African Team on their success in the competition.

Broodryk commented "Tehran is a city of friendly and intellectually curious people. Our guide Marzieh is a data scientist analyzing genes to help cure diseases. I went expecting a desert and found instead an oasis."

"The questions were tougher than the questions of previous years. It was a little disheartening to sit a five-hour contest and score what seemed like so few points, so slowly. However, after the contest, we realized that we performed well relative to the other contestants" said Mowzer.

Rudner reflected that he "felt extremely honoured to take part in the IOI in Tehran." He added that "Iran was a wonderful host and while the questions proved tougher this year, I feel the team persevered and achieved remarkable results, and I am proud to have been awarded a bronze medal for South Africa."

I must also congratulate the Mowzer family who are celebrating both sons' achievements this week. Taariq Mowzer, a grade 10 learner from Fairbairn College, younger brother to Yaseen Mowzer, brought home a bronze medal from the International Maths Olympiad. Hearty congratulations to both Yaseen and Taariq.