TEHRAN –Iranian smart kids ranked first in the 21st PAMA Global Abacus and Mental Arithmetic Competition.

Hosted by India, the event took place on December 28, at CIDCO Exhibition and Convention Center in Navi Mumbai.

The championship, organized by a non-profit organization established in 1999, is an example of what can be achieved with early intervention in abacus math and mental arithmetic education.

The purpose of the competition is to allow for the observation of mental arithmetic skills from all countries, to promote abacus and mental arithmetic education, and to improve friendships among participants from around the world.

This year, some 450 students aged 7 to 15 from 24 countries participated in the competition.

Iranian team ranked first as the team won 2 ‘champion of champions’ titles, 19 ‘champion’ titles, and two were ranked as first and second winners, ISNA reported.

The Iranian team comprised of 23 students from Ardabil, Bushehr, Tehran, Fars, Qom, Kermanshah, Golestan, Lorestan, and Hormozgan provinces who competed in 5 levels in the competition.

Iran will host the 2024 edition of the competition.

20th PAMA Championships

In 2022, talented Iranian children ranked first in the team category of the 20th Pan Pacific Abacus and Mental Arithmetic Association's Global Abacus and Mental Arithmetic Championships, which was held online.

Children in five different age groups, including ages 5-7 in Group A, 8-9 in Group B, 10-11 in Group C, 12-14 in Group D, and 15 or older in Group E, annually attend the contest solving multiple math equations, including division, multiplication, square root, cube root, fractions, etc. As many as 572 students from 21 member states participated in the event.  

The Smart Kids Institute holds a national competition annually in August to select members of the Iranian team to attend the PAMA global abacus championships. Children from 7 to 13 years of age take part in the competition to solve some seven mathematical test sheets using abacuses.

Iranian students’ outstanding achievements

The outstanding achievements of Iranian students in international Olympiads have placed the country among the top five nations in the world.

“The educational system of other countries is excellent, yet Iran is among the top 5 countries in the world in the international Olympiads, YJC quoted Elham Yavari, the head of the National Organization for the Development of Brilliant Talents (SAMPAD), as saying.

Yavari pointed to a reform-based plan approved by Iran’s Ministry of Education in 2011 that defined a 20-year prospect for the elevation of educational standards and improvement of the educational system across the country.

Iran grabbed one gold medal and three silver medals at the 35th International Olympiad in Informatics, ranking seventh in the world among 91 countries.

The IOI 2023 was held in Szeged, Hungary, from August 28th to September 4th.

The International Olympiad in Informatics is an annual international informatics competition for high school students from various invited countries, accompanied by social and cultural programs.

It is one of the several international science Olympiads held annually worldwide. Exceptional high school students from various countries compete in the prestigious algorithmic competition to sharpen their informatics skills—such as problem analysis, design of algorithms and data structures, programming, and testing.

This year, the Iranian team took five medals, ranking third in the 16th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics held on August 10-20 in Chorzow, Poland.

IOAA is an annual event for students who perform very well academically around the world. Established in Thailand in the year 2006, it was an initiative by five countries including Thailand, Indonesia, Iran, China, and Poland.

Also, Iranian students took six medals, ranking 11th at the 64th International Mathematical Olympiad which was held in Japan on July 2-13, 2023.

IMO is the World Championship Mathematics Competition for High School students and is held each year in a different country.

The Iranian students who participated in the 53rd International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) succeeded in winning four silver medals and one bronze medal, ranking the country 11th among 111 participating countries, ISNA reported.

The IPhO 2023 was held from July 10-17 at the National Olympics Memorial Youth Center in Tokyo, ISNA reported.

In the 34th International Biology Olympiad (IBO), held in the United Arab Emirates from July 3-11. The IBO 2023 hosted 293 students from 76 countries.

MT/MG