The Universal Concept of Mental Arithmetic System (UCMAS) Ghana has honoured 300 pupils for academic excellence at its 15th National Competition, held from August 14 to 17, 20256 at the Pentecost Convention Centre, Gomoa YesuKrom.

The four-day event brought together over 2,500 students from 120 schools nationwide to demonstrate their mental arithmetic, logical reasoning, and problem-solving abilities. The competition ended with an awards ceremony recognizing 300 outstanding pupils for their exceptional performance across various categories.

Speaking at the event, Girish Gurbani, Managing Director of UCMAS Ghana, called for stronger collaboration with the government to expand the programme’s reach.

“We are a skills development company authorized by the Ghana Education Service and the Ministry of Education to run our programmes nationwide. We consistently showcase what we do, and we take our blessings and permissions from the relevant authorities. We have always coordinated with the government on our programmes,” Gurbani said.

He appealed to state institutions to partner with UCMAS so that more children across the country can develop critical cognitive and arithmetic skills, regardless of their location.

Eric Borsah Senior Operations Officer at the Free SHS Secretariat, who was the special guest of honour, commended UCMAS for its impact on early cognitive development.

“I am impressed, especially because the Free SHS programme directly absorbs these basic school children. The UCMAS competition itself enables children to develop early cognitive learning skills,” Borsah stated.

He emphasized that the competition builds critical thinking, problem-solving, and independence among pupils. “We are looking at their ability to think critically and solve problems. We want them to be able to do things on their own. With UCMAS, STEM, and robotics, children are challenged to solve issues independently and build on their cognitive skills. This is something we in the education sector are proud of.”

Borsah encouraged parents and schools to take such programmes seriously. “I encourage children to embrace it and urge parents to support their wards to excel in fields like this,” he added.

Many of the young awardees expressed deep gratitude for the impact UCMAS has had on their academic growth.

Report by Bernard K Dadzie Greater Accra Region