Nairobi, March 12th, 2020 – The School of Mathematics, University of Nairobi and the Mathematics Association of Kenya in partnership with KAPEK kicked-off the search of Kenya’s next mathlete representatives at this year’s 62nd International Mathematical Olympiad in Washington D.C, USA and the Pan African Mathematical Olympiad.
In its 11th year the KKMO, a high school competition, sets off with first rounds conducted at various schools. The rounds consist of the Junior and the Senior category. The top 200 students in the senior category and the top 100 students in the Junior category will be invited for the second round. The second round will be conducted at the School of Mathematics, the University of Nairobi on the 30th of May 2020. The top 40 students in the second round will be invited to participate in the third round on the 20th of June at the School of Mathematics, University of Nairobi.
“The KKMO is a golden opportunity for our two enterprises to work together for a much greater goal. Our roots are entrenched in education and the impact which this competition can have on students’ lives is immense. With more schools signed up to participate than ever before this signal a great start to the KKMO and the partnership between Kapek Mathematical Instruments and the University of Nairobi,” said Clare Curran Marketing Manager KAPEK.
For the first time since its inception, there will be cash awards sponsored by KAPEK Mathematical Sets and medals to be given in the third and final round. Schools participating in the Olympiad will also receive monthly KCSE revision papers and exercises to boost their performance. The competition seeks to reach more eligible students than ever before. Young women are also encouraged to participate with previous data showing only less than 10% participate even though female participants tend to perform better than their male counterparts.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for students, potentially starting on a life long journey and fostering young talent in Kenya. We are very proud to help bring the KKMO to every child in Kenya,” added Clare.
The previous editions Kenya has produced top candidates who have competed favourably with their peers. For instance, Cynthia Migika from Alliance Girls High School is the first silver medalist at Pan African Mathematical Olympiad PAMO 2016 in Senegal. Currently doing Medicine at Kenyatta University. Albert Wandui was in the PAMO team to Ivory Coast in 2010 and got a bronze medal. He also gave a commencement speech at Stanford Institute for Theoretical Physics
The type of questions in the olympiad is designed to promote problem-solving and analytical skills. They provide an appreciable challenge, provoke thought and the spirit of wonder. Often times the student has the requisite background knowledge but the questions demand application of something different from the memorized concepts and routine techniques in the standard curriculum. It requires creative insight, drawing connections not explicitly given, and seeing things in brilliant ways as well as thinking with both imaginative clarity and logical persistence.
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