Kenyan students to participate in international maths contests

Twelve students will represent Kenya at two of the world’s most prestigious mathematics tournaments.

Six students will participate in the 65th edition of International Mathematical Olympiad, a world championship for high schools.

This year’s event will be held from July 11 to 22 at the University of Bath in the United Kingdom, and will have participants from over 100 countries.

While making the announcement, Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education in Africa (CEMASTEA) national trainer in charge of coding Martin Mungai said six other students will compete in the 37th Pan African Mathematics Olympiad.

It will be hosted at the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences in South Africa from August 10 to 20, 2024.

"Participating in such an event is a thought-provoking, challenging and motivating experience. It not only raises the students’ profiles for future career advancement but could also be an advantage for those aiming to join Ivy League universities such as Harvard," Mungai said.

More than 1,000 students who will participate in the two contests covering various topics including algebra, geometrics, calculus, number theory, combinatorics and advanced problem-solving techniques.

The 12 students were best overall in this year’s Kenya Mathematics Olympiad that is organised annually from 2022 by CEMASTEA in partnership with the Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing from the University of Waterloo Canada and the University of Nairobi.

The competitions offer Kenyan students an opportunity to interact with some of the world’s most talented and smartest mathematicians.

 Mungai stated that the annual competition aims at improving performance and promoting excellence in mathematics among high school students in the country.

The goal was to create a group of critical thinkers who are able to apply their classroom knowledge when solving real-life problems.

“Generally, we are looking into the learners' critical thinking and problem-solving skills. We give them questions that have real-life application so that they can think mathematically,” he said.

“At the end of the day, we have a learner who doesn’t have a disconnect between the real world and what they are doing in the classroom.”

The students qualify for the second round of the contest if they successfully participate in the first, before gunning for the third round of the Kenya Mathematical Olympiad.

A certificate of participation is awarded to all students who participate in the Kenya Mathematics Olympiad while a certificate of merit is granted to the top 50 students, who are thereafter invited to the third round of the contest.

The CEMASTEA official said the contest has boosted students’ ability to solve mathematical problems using critical thinking.

Mungai also pointed out that CEMASTEA, the University of Nairobi ( and the Centre for Mathematics and Computing are advocating for improved performance in mathematics in Kenyan schools, particularly using problem-solving strategies.

“Mathematical problem-solving methods concentrate on teaching students how to use mathematical ideas and critical thinking abilities to solve real-world situations, and this approach promotes a better grasp of the topic and enables students to comprehend the practical importance of mathematics,” he said.

During the competitions, students are barred from using books, notes, calculators or any other computational aids.

"We want more girls to be part of this because the competition is not just about mathematics. It’s also a learning experience that helps one build their self- esteem and confidence," Mungai said.

To get more students involved, the official asked teachers to identify students talented in maths.