Romania aids Ugandan students for global mathematics competition

May 01, 2019

The annual competition which attracts over 100 countries will take place in Bath, United Kingdom from 10th to 22nd July 2019.

The Romanian Mathematical Society (RMS) has extended financial support worth $3,400 (about sh12m) towards a team of six Ugandan students who are set to represent the country in this year's International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO).
 
The annual competition which attracts over 100 countries will take place in Bath, United Kingdom from 10th to 22nd July 2019.
 
Uganda will be represented by six students including; Reagan Yuggu Leri from Bishop Cypriano Kihangire, Hagar Namubiru of St. Mary's college Namagunga, Naturinda Emmanuel of St. Mary's College Rushoroza, Gloria Aliwayoki of Iganga SSS, Ian Mugisha of Ntale School, and Gerald Akakunda of St. Paul's Seminary Kabale.
 
"I am grateful to Sergiu Moroianu from RMS. Last year, during the IMO competitions in Romania, I discussed with him the difficulties the Ugandan team goes through to sponsor the students for the competitions. He promised to extend a hand which he has fulfilled," Jasper Okello, the Ugandan team leader said.
 
He said sh12m has already been sent to the Uganda Mathematical Society (UMS) bank account. "The fundraising is still ongoing in Romania and we expect more support," he added. Okello is also a mathematics teacher at Nabisunsa Girl's School.
 
Moroianu also offered to support the Ugandan team with mathematics trainers in geometry, number theory, algebra and combinatorics following the IMO board regulations.
 
He said students have been getting the trainings via skype at the department of Mathematics; Makerere University. "The trainings are still ongoing until June. We are optimistic that this year we shall perform better compared to the previous competitions," Okello said.
 

 David Ssevviiri, the head of the Mathematics department at Makerere University handing over a dummy cheque to the Uganda Mathematical Society executive on behalf of the Romanian Mathematical Society at Makerere University recently.

 
He appealed for more support from well-wishers, cooperate bodies, government agencies and private companies towards acquisition of air tickets.
 
"We still need more support to buy air tickets for the whole team to travel to the UK," Okello said.
 
The International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO), is an annual world competition for pre-university students usually below the age of 20.
 
The first IMO was held in Romania in 1959 has since been held annually in different countries.
 
Each country sends a team of six contestants, team leaders and observers.
 
Uganda first participated in the competitions in 2012, in Mar del Plata in Argentina following admission in 2011.
 
Uganda will be participating for the eighth time, in this year's competition top take place in Bath-UK.
 
Last year, Uganda finished in the fifth place in Cluj Napoca in Romania, among the 12 countries which participated in Africa and in the 100th position globally out of theb112 countries.
 
In March this year, Ugandan students also attended the Pan African Mathematics Olympiad (PAMO) in Cape Town South Africa. Uganda finished sixth out of 11 countries winning two bronze medals.
 
"My love for Math and desire to become aeronautical engineer motivated my hard work," said Leri who won one of the medals.
 
Besides swimming, he said reasoning capacity helps him excel in most of his work.
 
He called on fellow students to always think outside the box and put to use their reasoning capabilities. He also urged parents to support their children in everything they do.
 
The contest is an avenue for encouraging young people to enjoy the learning of Mathematics and encouraging teachers to popularize the subject.
 
Namubiru who also won a bronze, explained that before she was selected, they first did two Mathematics papers, which are not necessarily syllabus-based but largely required common sense and creativity.
 
The UMS President Dr. Ismail Mirumbe said such activities help to correct errors of Math phobia and also enable the young generation appreciate the subject.
 
David Ssevviiri, the head of mathematics department at Makerere University, was delighted by the performance of those who represented the country in South Africa.
 
"We train our representatives on questions that are outside the normal school curriculum but within our daily life (logical questions).

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});