Kigali, Rwanda, Oct. 23. In a remarkable showcase of mental math prowess, Team Ghana, represented by Shenmo Ghana, swept top honors at the second African Shenmo Cup, International Abacus Mental Olympiad, held over the weekend at the Kigali Conference and Exhibition Village. The event, themed “Empowering young minds, realizing Africa’s dream,” brought together over 300 of the sharpest young minds from 30 African nations, including Rwanda, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, Libya, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, and Cameroon.
Representing Ghana, Ridwan Mahmoud Jajah and Ummu Sulaim Abass, both students of Al-Hikmah Islamic Montessori School, excelled in the competition. Ridwan claimed the overall first-place crown, while Ummu secured third place, earning Ghana two gold medals and two trophies in the Level 1 category—a double podium celebration and a clean sweep for the nation.
Ms Claudette Irere, Minister of State in Rwanda’s Ministry of Education, hailed the competition as a milestone for the country, emphasising the value of children actively applying knowledge while having fun and competing with peers from across Africa. She noted that abacus training builds confidence, focus, critical thinking, visualisation, and mental agility among young learners.
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Mr Nelson Mbarushimana, Director General of the Rwanda Education Board, highlighted that the event was organised under the Ministry of Education in partnership with local stakeholders, integrating Shenmo Abacus Mental Math into Rwanda’s education system to strengthen arithmetic foundations for millions of students. Mr Li Mianjun, Founder and President of Shenmo International Education Group, Beijing, praised the abacus for its enduring ability to transition learners from tangible to mental arithmetic.
Mr Musa Frimpong, Principal of Shenmo Ghana, said the improved performance of Ghanaian participants compared to the first edition in Nigeria reflects the commitment to mathematics education, the foundation of STEM learning. He outlined plans to expand Shenmo Abacus clubs and learning centres across schools, communities, and organisations in Ghana, calling on government and development partners to support the initiative to enhance personal, academic, and social development while contributing to national growth in a STEM-driven global economy.
The competition was attended by dignitaries including representatives from the Rwandan Defence and Police Forces, local government officials, African Ambassadors in Rwanda, Dr Lily Cheng, International Consultant for Shenmo Education and Professor at San Diego State University, USA, Mr Joseph Gyebi, Abacus Instructor, Ghana, over 30 Shenmo Principals from China, the USA, and Africa, as well as more than 1,000 students, parents, and guests across the continent.
Mr Frimpong congratulated the Ghanaian team for not only winning medals but also “calculating a path to glory and making the entire nation proud.”
