Schoolchildren Gather at Scottish Parliament for Annual Euroquiz Competition

11.05.2012

More than 120 Scottish primary schoolchildren will gather in the Scottish Parliament’s debating chamber on Monday 14 May to test their knowledge of European affairs by competing in a nationwide competition.

A total of 30 teams from schools across Scotland will battle it out in the annual Euroquiz competition, answering questions on a range of subjects including languages, history, culture and sport in a bid to win the top trophy prize.

The Scottish European Educational Trust (SEET) has been running the quiz since 1993 and this is the fifth year the event has been held in the main chamber of the Scottish Parliament. The event is sponsored by the European Commission, Scottish MEPs Iain Hudghton, David Martin, Struan Stevenson, Alyn Smith and Catherine Stihler, a number of Charitable Trusts and also individual donations.

Deputy Presiding Officer Elaine Smith MSP will act as quizmaster and chair, with James Temple-Smithson, Head of the European Parliament Office in Scotland and John Mulgrew, a Trustee of  SEET, all scheduled to speak at the event.

Elaine Smith MSP said:

“I am delighted to be chairing this year’s Euroquiz final where I will see the results of the weeks and months of hard work of the pupils from all over Scotland.

“Learning about European history, cultures and languages is vital if Scotland’s young people are to take their place in our modern globalised society and Euroquiz provides a fun and unique way for the pupils to show how much they have learned.”

Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Michael Russell MSP, said:

“The Euroquiz is a wonderful way to learn about Europe and its rich history and culture.   It opens minds to other people, their languages and countries and is a great opportunity for young Scots to learn about Europe and Scotland’s place in it.  Through Curriculum for Excellence, International Education prepares young people for engagement in today’s increasingly multicultural and globalised society. I would like to congratulate each and every one of the teams taking part in the quiz.”

Each of the 30 Scottish schools taking part in the quiz have already won their local authority heat and will be competing against the winners of all the other heats in the final. The event will be broadcast live on the Parliament’s website at – http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/newsandmediacentre/3168.aspx -  allowing pupils from the all schools around the country to watch and support their friends.

Background

The 30 Scottish primary schools taking part in Euroquiz 2012 are:

• Aberdeen City – St Peter’s School 
• Aberdeenshire – Newtonhill Primary School 
• Angus – Inverbrothock Primary School
• Argyll & Bute – St Columba’s Primary School 
• Clackmannanshire – Strathdevon Primary School
• Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar – Stornoway School
• Dumfries and Galloway – Newington Primary School
• Dundee – Barnhill Primary School
• East Ayrshire – Nether Robertland Primary School
• East Dunbartonshire – Bearsden Primary School
• East Lothian – Campie Primary School 
• East Renfrewshire – St Joseph’s Primary School
• Edinburgh – James Gillespie’s Primary School
• Falkirk – St Andrew’s RC Primary School
• Fife – Cairneyhill Primary & Community School
• Glasgow – Scotstoun Primary School
• Highlands – Kirkhill Primary School
• Inverclyde – Moorfoot Primary School
• Moray – Bishopmill Primary School
• North Ayrshire – West Kilbride Primary School
• North Lanarkshire – St Joseph’s Stepps Primary School
• Perth and Kinross – Portmoak Primary School
• Renfrewshire – St Charles’ Primary School 
• Scottish Borders – Glendinning Terrace Primary School
• Shetland – Sandwick Junior High School
• South Ayrshire – Holmston Primary School
• South Lanarkshire – St Kenneth’s Primary School
• Stirling – Drymen Primary School 
• West Dunbartonshire – St Mary’s (Duntocher) Primary School
• West Lothian – Falla Hill Primary School

Last year the Euroquiz was won by Edinburgh Academy Junior School

Members of the media who would like to attend the quiz can watch from the media gallery in the Parliament's Debating Chamber.

The Scottish European Educational Trust (SEET) is a registered charity established in 1993 which aims to promote and encourage education about Europe to students at schools, colleges and universities throughout Scotland.

The first Euroquiz for Primary 6 pupils was run in Edinburgh and the Lothians in 1993 as a joint event between SEET and the City of Edinburgh Council Education Department.