12 Kenyan students will compete in two international math competitions.
At two of the most prominent mathematics competitions in the world, twelve students from Kenyan schools will compete on behalf of their nation.
The 65th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), a World Championship Mathematics Competition for high school students that is held yearly on a rotating basis in several nations, will include six students.
The event this year will take place at the University of Bath in the United Kingdom from July 11 to July 22, 2024. More than 100 countries in North America, Europe, and Asia will be represented, including Canada, the United States, China, India, and South Korea.
Six more Kenyan students will compete in the 37th Pan African Mathematics Olympiad, which will be held at the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) in South Africa from August 10, 2024 to August 20, 2024. This announcement was made by Martin Mungai, National Trainer for Coding at the Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education in Africa (CEMASTEA).
The more than 1,000 students who will compete in the two competitions will be examined in a variety of subjects, including algebra, geometry, calculus, number theory, combinatorics, and advanced problem-solving skills, according to the CEMASTEA National Trainer in an interview with Kenya News Agency.
The Kenya Mathematics Olympiad, which is held yearly starting in 2022 by CEMASTEA in collaboration with the Center for Education in Mathematics and Computing from the Universities of Waterloo, Canada, and Nairobi, was explained by Mungai as having 12 students who placed first overall.
The National Trainer said that the competitions give Kenyan students a chance to interact with some of the most talented and “smartest” mathematicians in the world, even though it was noted that 24 more Kenyan students had competed in the Second Edition of the East African Mathematical Olympiad, which was held on April 24, 2024 and was hosted by the Uganda Mathematical Society.
“Taking part in an event of this nature is stimulating, demanding, and inspiring. It enhances students’ profiles for potential professional growth and may even help applicants to Ivy League schools like Harvard,” the speaker said.
After scoring 116 threshold points in a 60-minute mathematics exam, 258 kids from form 1 and form 2 nationwide were chosen for the junior category in the first round of the Kenya Mathematics Olympiad, which took place in May of this year.
A total of 504 students in forms 3 and 4 were chosen for the senior category, with a 120 point cutoff score.
According to Mungai, the annual tournament attempts to raise math proficiency and performance among the nation’s high school pupils.
According to him, the overarching objective was to develop a group of critical thinkers who could use what they had learned in the classroom to solve problems in the real world.
In general, we are examining the students’ capacity for critical thought and problem-solving. We ask them topics that are applicable to real world so they may develop their quantitative thinking skills,” he stated.
“At the conclusion of the day, we have a student who doesn’t have a disconnect between what they are doing in the classroom and the real world,” Mungai continued.
If they complete the first round of the Kenya Math Olympiad successfully, the students advance to the second phase of competition before sprinting to the third round.
Every student who takes part in the Kenya Mathematics Olympiad receives a certificate of participation, and the top 50 participants receive certificates of merit that entitle them to advance to the contest’s third phase.
The competition, according to a CEMASTEA official, has improved pupils’ critical thinking skills when it comes to solving mathematical difficulties.
Mungai further mentioned that CEMASTEA, the University of Nairobi (UoN), and the Centre for Mathematics and Computing (CEMC) were promoting better math performance in Kenyan schools, with a focus on problem-solving techniques, through a collaborative relationship.
“The focus of mathematical problem-solving methods is on teaching students how to apply mathematical concepts and critical thinking skills to solve real-world problems. This approach fosters a deeper understanding of the subject and helps students recognize the practical significance of mathematics,” he continued.
Students are not allowed to use any calculators, books, notes, or other computational tools while competing.
Because the tournament isn’t only about arithmetic, we want more girls to participate. In addition, it’s a teaching tool that boosts confidence and self-worth, Mungai said.
In an effort to increase student participation, the representative requested teachers in different schools to identify math-talented pupils, noting that CEMASTEA also targeted underprivileged and rural students.
This will allow them to engage with some of the world’s most gifted pupils in the field, he claimed.
He continued by saying that science and mathematics need to be prioritized in schools if vision 2030 is to be realized.
Students and society at large will be able to apply mathematics to tackle the difficult problems they encounter on a daily basis thanks to mathematics. Our goal is for students to enjoy and value mathematics just as much as any other course or subject in the classroom. The head trainer said, “These competitions will help both our teachers and pupils develop their critical thinking skills.
Mungai also agreed that the competitions have promoted cultural fusion among Kenyans and improved the spirits of Olympiad participants among pupils.
If we wish to have professionals who can assess and provide accurate economic forecasts that can support the expansion of our economy, we must dispel the misconception that math is a tough subject for our pupils. Because the Kenya Mathematics Olympiad primarily consists of application questions, it has greatly aided our girls’ mathematical progress, and the competition has inspired them to do well, he said.
Romania hosted the inaugural International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) in 1959. The International Science Olympiad (IMO), the first of its kind, has been held every year since 1980 with the exception of 1980.
The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan caused the tournament, which was originally scheduled to take place in Mongolia, to be canceled that year.
The Pan African Mathematics Olympiad (PAMO) is a prominent yearly event hosted by the African Mathematics Union (AMU) that has been held annually in an African country since 1987. The competition is open to the top secondary school math students under the age of twenty (20). PAMO visited Kenya twice, in 1991 and 2018.
Launched last year, the East African Mathematical Olympiad is an annual high school mathematics competition aimed at the nations of Eastern Africa.
According to Mungai, the mathematical community in East Africa came to the conclusion that a regional competition would be extremely valuable in raising students’ appreciation of mathematics and serving as a fantastic means of preparing them for the international Mathematical Olympiad. In addition, it would allow young competitors to connect and express their shared enthusiasm for mathematics.
12 Kenyan students will compete in two international math competitions.
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