350 pupils receive awards at the 11th UCMAS National Competition
About 350 pupils from 150 schools across the 16 regions of the country have been awarded at the 11th Universal Concept of Mental Arithmetic (UCMAS) Abacus and Mental National Competition which was held over the weekend in Central region.
Out of the number, 60 pupils were emerged champions from the 17 categories including Basic, Elementary A, Elementary B, Intermediate A, Intermediate B, Listening calculation and Mental calculation and they received trophy for their outstanding performance.
The two-day programme which was organised under the theme “Arise and Shine” brought together over 250,000 pupils from the 150 schools.
Speaking at the awards ceremony, the second lady, Mrs Samira Bawumia charged schools which were not part of the UCMAS to enroll in it in order to unearth the mental abilities of pupils.
She said UCMAS over the 15 years of its establishment in the country had empowered youth and had trained many children to become professionals in their field of endeavours.
Mrs Bawumia commended Maurya Education Limited, organisers of the Abacus and Mental competition for the the initiative that has propelled children to become smart and expressed her outfit’s commitment in supporting such competition.
She lauded the girls who won awards at the competition and called on parent to make a girl child education paramount in fulfilling today’s educational needs.
“In today’s education there are lots of girls in the basic level but the number sadly dwindles as the level goes high. The free Senior High School Policy has been instrumental in Girl child education in Ghana and we are praying that the number of girls can also increase in the tertiary level,” the second lady added.
Mr Girish Gurbani, Director of UCMAS Ghana Limited, said the children answered 150 to 200 arithmetic sums within eight minutes to test the speed, confidence, concentration and their photographic memory.
He indicated that the mental Arithmetic was a form of calculation that solely done by the human mind using the minds power in performing calculations.
According to Mr Gurbani, UCMAS quiz was organised to improve photographic memory skills, listening skills, concentration skills, presentation skills, imagination and creativity skills, speed and accuracy as well as removing Mathematics phobia and all round academic proficiency.
He commended the winners of the 11th edition, adding that “the programme was intended to eradicate the fear of maths from all Ghanaian children and also boost their confidence level.”
The Business Development Director for Maurya Education Limited, Roger Ohemeng indicated that the Coronavirus affected their initial plan which made them lay low for two years but as the restrictions were lifted, they returned with the 11th National competition to awake the minds of the pupils, hence the theme.
He expressed regret as some individuals were using their brands to dupe people and advised schools and parents to remain diligent in order not to fall prey to such dubious schemes.
Mr Ohemeng expressed his outfit’s commitment to continue unearthing talents and improving mental performance of the Ghanaian child through the UCMAS scheme.
Source: www.spotonnews.net
