The winners of the second edition of the National Mathematics Contest (NMC) 2024 were announced, this morning, during a Prize Giving Ceremony held at the Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre (RGSC) in Bell Village.
The winner of the NMC 2024 is Dhruv Morarjee of College du St Esprit. He was awarded a cash prize of Rs 15,000, a shield and a token. A cash prize of Rs 10,000 was handed over to the 1st Runner-up, Junayd Muhammad Kulbul, of Dr James Burty David SSS as well as a shield and a token. The 2nd Runner-up, Myles Kim On Ah Von, of Ebène SSS (Boys), was awarded a cash prize of Rs 5,000, a shield and a token. Yovanee Sunyassee from Loreto College Curepipe and Ayush Kumarr Mitesh Nosib from Phoenix SSS, bagged the 4th and 5th place respectively and won a cash prize of Rs 2,000 each.
The contest is a joint initiative of the RGSC, the Mauritius Institute of Education, and the High Commission of India. The Deputy High Commissioner of India, Mr Vimarsh Aryan, was the Chief Guest at the award ceremony. Moreover, Associate Professor Jaguthsing Dindyal, PhD in Mathematics education from Illinois State University and former Associate Professor Mathematics Education from the National Institute of Education, made a presentation on Problem Solving in Mathematics. The Chairperson, Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre Trust Fund, Dr (Mrs) Ellora Dhunnoo, was also present.
In his address, the Indian Deputy High Commissioner lauded the initiative and remarked that the contest is bound to trigger the curiosity of students in mathematics. According to him, Mathematics competitions help students develop problem-solving skills and learn to think outside the box, handle pressure, and be a team player-traits that will serve them well in any future endeavour.
He recalled that Maths is essential in daily life adding that it encourages logical thinking and enhances problem-solving. A strong foundation in Mathematics leads to better problem-solving skills, better memory and logical reasoning and enhances one's analytical and investigative skills, he highlighted.
In his presentation, Dr Dindyal underlined that problem-solving is an important aspect of doing Mathematics. He indicated that problem-solving in Mathematics proceeds in certain distinct logical steps, although not always sequentially. In his talk, he explored the problem-solving process and the steps that are commonly used. He also made connections to real-life problems and suggested how some approaches in mathematics problem solving can be relevant.
As for Dr Dhunnoo, she pointed out that Mathematics is often considered as one of the most challenging subjects in school. However, she observed that despite its reputation, it plays a crucial role in the modern world. From the technology we use every day to the complex systems that govern our society, Mathematics is essential to understanding and solving the problems we face, she said.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
National Mathematics Contest 2024
The NMC is a competitive assessment of students for their mathematical skills and abilities. The primary objective is to instil a competitive mindset in students while unveiling the actual meaning of math learning. It also contributes to foster an interest in math and improve the mathematical skills of participants through individual competitions. Students develop good learning abilities. It strengthens their fundamental knowledge of problems.
The second edition of the NMC, launched in March 2024, is an individual competition for Grade 9 students or equivalent. It comprises two stages namely preliminary and final, both in the face-to-face mode. Question items were on general knowledge of Mathematics, application of mathematical concepts and logical thinking/reasoning. A total of 154 students from 47 Secondary schools took part in the contest and 17 best performers were selected for the final round. Both the preliminary and the final rounds were held on 30 May 2024.
