Abacus contest adds up to success for schoolchildren

A time of 14 minutes was all 11-year-old Lamngeun Inthanouvong from Thongkang Primary School needed to win the Abacus Calculation Competition in Vientiane on Friday.

He was one of 70 primary school students from the districts of Sisattanak, Sikhottabong, Chanthabouly and Xaysettha taking part in the brain-busting contest.

The competition was organised by the Education Development Fund in Laos (EDF) and the Ministry of Education to encourage children to exercise their brains through mental arithmetic.

The competition was divided into two categories and selected five children as making calculations in the fastest time.

Lamngeun said he had to concentrate hard and carefully to get the correct answers in a race against time.

“It's differing from doing sums on paper. This was my first competition and I'm very excited that I won a prize.

“I had hoped for this result, and I have to thank my teacher for helping me. It was a good experience and I think it will help me to be a better maths student in the future.”

Deputy Minister of Education Ms Sengdeuane Lachanthaboun said the competition was a good opportunity to encourage more children to enjoy mathematics and reduce the failure rate in primary schools.

It would help children to improve their written and mental arithmetic and inspire them to have a greater interest in mathematics, which was good for brain development.

She hoped children would improve their skills in this field and take part in other competitions, both in Laos and at the international level.

Such competitions would help teachers to better assess their teaching in the use of the abacus and lead to a better standard of mathematics, she said.

The Abacus Calculation Teaching project has been underway in Laos since 2004 to raise education standards.

The project is run in 10 primary schools in Vientiane and will expand to five schools in Khammuan province.

The project is a joint cooperation between the Primary Education Department of the Ministry of Education and EDF-Laos and is supported by EDF-Japan.

By Ounkham Pimmata
(Latest Update September 28, 2009)