Some 320 pupils have emerged winners at the 2024 edition of the Universal Concept of Mental Arithmetic System (UCMAS) competition held at the Pentecost Convention Centre at Kasoa, Central Region.
The pupils, between the ages of 4 to 14, won out of the total 2,700 pupils from more than a thousand private basic schools nationwide that participated in the three-day competition, receiving silver cups and cash prizes as their awards.
The quiz was on mental arithmetic calculations, where the pupils responded to arithmetic questions posed to them without using calculators in few minutes.
Mr Girish Gurboni, Managing Director of Murya Education, organisers of the quiz, said they aimed to empower the pupils with mental arithmetic and analytical skills through the competition.
‘At Maurya Education, we firmly believe that mental arithmetic serves as the cornerstone for developing critical thinking skills in children.
‘In a rapidly evolving world, where problem-solving, analytical thinking, and decision-making are pa
ramount, it is imperative to equip our children with the tools they need to navigate through life successfully,’ he added.
Mr Gurboni said mental arithmetic facilitated the development of analytical and logical thinking, fostering a generation of independent and innovative problem solvers.
He said studies had shown that it stimulated various regions of the brain, leading to the development of key cognitive skills such as attention, memory, and spatial awareness.
He added that those skills, coupled with the ability to perform complex mental calculations, enabled children to approach challenges with confidence, resilience, and a growth mind-set.
Mr Prince Frimpong Kumi, Headmaster of Wellspring School, said the competition needed to be upscaled to benefit all schools and students since it built their competence in Mathematics.
He urged parents to support their children in such competitions to enable them build invaluable skills outside their main school curriculum and subjects.
Hammond Anigyea, a Class Si
x Pupil at Wellspring School and one of the winners, said she had been able to build on her confidence and promptness to answer questions through the competition.
She said it had improved her performance in arithmetic skills and creative thinking.
Source : Ghana News Agency