This year’s Angkor Mathematics Competition, or AMC 2022, is an opportunity for students in grades 5-12 of state and private schools to measure their math abilities against one another, and will also promote science in education. Applications are now being accepted for the late September competition.

The contest is the largest of its kind in Cambodia and will be attended by thousands of students from more than 100 schools from all across the Kingdom. This year’s will be the second time it will be run, after a successful debut last year.

One exciting development that has been introduced this year is the announcement that the winners will be flown to the international Copernicus Math Olympiad 2023 in the United States. Bright Education Consultants and Travel – the organisers of the AMC – have guaranteed that they will meet the costs of taking the winners to the US, with no charges to contestants at all.

El Nory, marketing manager of Bright Education Consultant and Travel, said: “AMC 2022 will be run over three elimination rounds. The first will be held online on September 25. Each contestant will be charged $2.5 to enter.”

He added that a second online round will be held on October 30, with each qualifier paying $5 to compete. The third and final round will be held in person at the meeting hall of the Institute of Technology of Cambodia on December 3. Each student will pay $10 to participate. The closing date for applications is September 11.

“In the first round of the contest, we will eliminate 50 per cent of the candidates. We will do the same in the second online round. In the third and final round, we will select winners in four categories,” he continued.

The contest is divided into 4 categories, each with a different grade range. Category 1 is for grades 5-6, Category 2 is for grades 7-8, Category 3 is for grade 9-10 and Category 4 is for grade 11-12 students.

First place winners will receive a laptop, with second and third being awarded an electric scooter and a bicycle respectively. The fourth and fifth placed entrants will collect tablets.

Sixth through tenth place getters will all be rewarded with smart watches. In addition, gold silver and bronze medals will be handed to the top students. Students who fail to rank will be awarded honorary certificates.

“What is super special is that Bright Education Consultants and Travel will pay 100 per cent of the cost of sending the winning students to the Copernicus Olympiad 2023 in the US. This includes airfares, accommodation and meals,” added Nory.

Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport spokesman Ros Soveacha hailed the contest, saying: “We welcome and international standard mathematics exams at all levels, including the private sector. This kind of event makes a strong contribution to the promotion of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) policy.”

The Copernicus Olympiad is a major competition with five major subjects – Mathematics, Natural Science, Physics and Astronomy, Cyber Security and Film Festival held in New York, the US, with 26 countries from around the world in attendance.

Bright sent 34 Cambodian students to compete in the Mathematical subject of the Copernicus Olympiad 2022, help from July 19-22, on the campus of Columbia University in New York, with nine countries participating – Cambodia, the United States, the Philippines, Angola, Brazil, Bulgaria, Kyrgyzstan, Laos and Vietnam.

Thirty out of 34 Cambodians claimed medals at the event, with the students returning with 3 gold, 11 silver and 16 bronze medals. They returned to Cambodia on July 27.

The three gold medallists were Touch Monika, grade 10 from Westgate International School; Chea Seufong, grade 8 from American Intercon School and Rithy Visal Sno, grade 11 from Russey Keo High School.

“It was great to have the chance to claim this gold medal for my family, my society and myself,” said Visal Cno, upon his return.

He urged all students to enter in the Angkor Mathematical Competition, so they would have the chance to compete in the US, like he had.

“I think that we should all strive for good results at this year’s AMC,” he added.