Uganda’s Kangaroo Mathematics contest is back

KAMPALA - The Kangaroo Mathematics contest, open to learners in both primary and secondary schools across Uganda, is returning for another year. 

Simon Awuyo, the director of Glee Pearl Stem Initiative, the company organising the contest, told New Vision that participation will start on Monday (April 14), both on and offline. 

“I, therefore, call on all the teachers, parents, guardians and well-wishers to support all the interested learners in Uganda to participate in this year’s contest, which will last only 60 minutes for primary school pupils and 75 minutes for secondary school students,” he said. 

Awuyo, Uganda’s representative to the Association Kangourou Sans Frontières (AKSF) — the largest mathematics contest organising association in the world — said no subscription or entry fee is required. 

“So, all those with smartphones, tablets, laptops or any device can register their children/learners on the free-of-charge website https:// uganda.mytutor.chat. Learners can practise anywhere at their own pace, anytime. But you are encouraged to supervise them for optimum results,” he said. 

Awuyo explained that MyTutor.chat helps learners to prepare for and participate in maths competitions by teaching reasoning and problem-solving skills. 

He said the contest will run in two phases. The on and offline phases will start on Monday and end on April 20 with the results being released at 12:00am. 
The online will run from April 21 to August 31, with the results being released instantly upon completion. 

“With effect from this year, all learners who participate in Kangaroo World Mathematics Contest either online or offline will receive globally recognised certificates signed by the AKSF president, Dr Akveld Meike from the mathematics department of the University of Zurich, Switzerland,” Awuyo said. 

He said before Monday, learners should practise at least 100 questions out of 1,000 slides that are out of the international grades (1-12) they have chosen and registered for on the website https:// uganda.mytutor. chat to affirm their interest. 

“After the tutor has marked each question, study the tutor’s approach carefully and in detail. To continue with practice any time, you simply click on SIGN IN,” Awuyo advised the learners. 

He also noted that it has always been observed that making mathematics attractive to learners is a challenge. 

“Realising the importance of mathematics in other fields of knowledge and for everyday life, AKSF aims at increasing the enthusiasm for learning mathematics,” Awuyo said.

Beneficiaries comment 

In Trinity College Nabbingo, Wakiso district, one of the Senior Four students who devotedly used the learning resources on https://uganda. mytutor.chat for mathematics not only scored the highest point in the Kangaroo Mathematics World Contest, but also turned to be the best in the 2023 Uganda Certificate of Education examinations. 

Christine Amanya scored an aggregate 10, gaining a two-year scholarship award to study science subjects in the same school. 

“Such student deserved a prize which the Glee Pearl Stem Initiative could not afford because this programme is not sponsored by anybody or any organisation,” Awuyo said. 
Amanya told New Vision that she liked the MyTutor. chat programme because it “involves you as a person to make sure you love maths, especially the part where they ask for your nickname”. 

Prisca Ejang, a mathematics teacher and assistant director of studies at Trinity College Nabbingo, also hailed MyTutor.chat. 

“It is for free and for every level; it accommodates anyone. For us here at our school, many students have embraced it. We have many who have enrolled right from Senior One to Senior Six,” she said.

Background 

Simon Awuyo, who will turn 69 in July, taught in secondary schools from 1980 to 1994 when he became a lecturer in the Department of Mathematics until his mandatory retirement in 2016. 

However, when he retired, he continued to serve as a specialist in mathematics at Kyambogo University, where he continues to present papers on distance education and teacher training at the Africa Conference. 

He also presents papers on learning and teaching mathematics using technology.