Over 195 local boys and girls competed at the 17th Pama (Pan Pacific Abacus and Mental Arithmetic Association of Taiwan Chamber of Commerce) Global Abacus and Mental Arithmetic Championships hosted at the Hilton Hotel in Sandton.
This year, South Africa was proud to play host to nations such as Taiwan, Korea and India which were among the 17 countries from across the world who gathered on 28 December to unite in their love of mathematics.
The competition itself comprises of an exam where competitors from age groups starting as young as eight years old, have to perform multiple maths equations, which include division, multiplication, square root, cube root, fractions, time and so many more. This is learned through the Japanese method of education, A+Students, a South African-based institute that has partnered with Pama.
Chairperson of the South African branch of PAMA and the driver of the A+Students, Marlene Mouton said, “A+Students teaches children as young as two-and-a-half years old to solve complex arithmetic problems by playing with educational toys, like the Soroban (abacus) and the A+Play Maths range of educational toys.”
A session typically starts off with brain gym, as it achieves integration of the left and right brain hemispheres. Thereafter, the learners practice flash cards and speed writing. Practicing finger exercises on the soroban will start to refine motor skills. This moves learning from the abstract to the concrete and helps them to grasp the notions of adding and subtracting, after which they will be able to step-up the numbers with which they are dealing, explained Mouton.
Aside from celebrating the joy of numbers, the competition brought an assortment of cultures together.
Not only are students encouraged to mingled among fellow competitors, but help they develop international relationships.
There are five groups in the competition, with one champion of champions per group.
South Africa was able to proudly sport one champion of champions: Eight-year-old Stiaan Scheepers, for Group B (age eight to nine).
Our country also bagged 12 of the 53 awards given.
Champion awards were given to the Top 20 per cent of students:
The SA winners are:
Group B: (eight to nine years old)
Duan Beukes, Jordon Moodley, Ziya Wof, Nicolene Reddy, Nouralzahraa Ahmad, and Nehan Wessels.
Group C: (10 to 11 years old)
Louis Scheepers, Nesia Chetty, and Saishan Moodley.
Group D: (12 to 14 years old)
Ethan Kirstein and Eben Pienaar.
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