A team of Rwandan secondary school students won their country’s first-ever gold medal at the competitive Pan-African Mathematics Olympiad (PAMO), which was concluded on Tuesday, August 20, in Johannesburg, South Africa.
This was Rwanda’s fourth participation and the biggest win in the annual competition, organized by the African Mathematics Union.
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The gold medal was scooped by Denys Prince Tuyisenge, one of six students on the Rwandan team that participated in the competition.
PAMO 2024 which attracted students from 27 African countries.
In addition to the gold medal, the Rwandan team, trained by African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) Rwanda, also got a silver medal, three bronze medals, and several PAMO Girls Bronze Medals.
The competition had been taking place at the University of Witwatersrand since August 10.
In the previous three editions, the Rwandan team won five silver and eight bronze medals.
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The Rwandan team’s journey to the gold medal began earlier in the year with a strong performance at the East African Mathematical Olympiad (EAMO), where they secured the first place in eight countries.
"We are proud of our students’ achievements,” Prof Sam Yala, AIMS Rwanda Centre President and AIMS Network President, was quoted as saying in a statement on Tuesday.
"This gold medal is not just a victory for the team but for the entire nation. It demonstrates the immense potential of Rwandan youth in STEM fields.
"We are committed to nurturing these talents through our outreach activities, as we advance mathematical excellence in Rwanda.”
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AIMS Rwanda, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and other partners, conducts a rigorous selection process across secondary schools to identify top talents in mathematics.
From an initial pool of approximately 40,000 students, a series of competitive rounds led to a final team of 23 students who represented the country in regional and international competitions.