NINE children from Abagility Maths Club, including two from Glenwood schools, competed in the Annual Global Association of Japanese Soroban and Mental Arithmetic (GAJSMA) International Abacus and Mental Arithmetic Championship in Singapore last month.
The South African children qualified at the Abacus Maths Soroban Association of South Africa (AMSASA) National Abacus and Mental Arithmetic Championship last year in Gauteng. A total of 29 South African children travelled to Singapore to take part in the championship. Besides South Africa, the countries being represented were Australia, India, Kazakhstan, Morocco and Thailand. There were also association representatives from Japan, USA, Canada, Singapore, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, Namibia, Saudi Arabia, Uganda and Iran.
Each child had six minutes to write an exam using their abacus to do the calculations, and a second exam in which they were given two minutes to do mental maths calculations. Julia Marnewick, a Grade 5 learner from Glenwood Preparatory, brought home a bronze for coming 5th in her level and age group, and Jesse Buys, a Grade 6 pupil from Penzance Primary School, brought home a silver for coming 4th in his level and age group.
