The 11th Kapek Kenya mathematical Olympiad KKMO
Mathematics plays an important role in all sectors of the economy and in particular in the artificial intelligence and Machine learning. These are vibrant fields with wide application in manufacturing, health, security and real estate. Strengthening mathematical skills is therefore shows the University of Nairobi’s commitment and support of the Big 4 Agenda launched by the His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The 11th Kapek Kenya mathematical Olympiad KKMO is the rebranded Kenya Mathematical Olympiad is a high school competition that aims to select the Kenyan teams to the International Mathematical Olympiad and the Pan African Mathematical Olympiad. This is the 11th edition and the first round is on the 12th of March 2020. The first round is conducted at the schools . The first round consists of the Junior and the Senior category. The top 200 students in the senior category and the top 100 students in the Junior category will be invited for the second round. The Second round will be conducted at the School of Mathematics, University of Nairobi on the 30th of May 2020. The top 40 students in the second round will be invited to participate in the third round on the 20th of June at the school of Mathematics, University of Nairobi. There will be cash awards and medals to be given in the third and final round. Schools participating in the Olympiad will also receive monthly KCSE revision papers and exercises to boost their performance. This is part of the outreach program by the School, of Mathematics, University of Nairobi. The school of Mathematics is based at the The top 6 students in the third round of the KKMO will represent Kenya in the International Mathematical Olympiad in Washington USA in 2021.
Registration is ongoing and the details can be found on the KKMO website. All the information regarding the registration requirements and fee are available on this website. KKMO is organised in partnership with Botosoft Technologies under their KAPEK brand of a combined geometrical set and calculator.
All students who have made it to the IMO or PAMO Kenyan team have excelled in their KCSE exams and obtained grade A- or higher, and most make it to the top 100 students in KCSE. In 2010 Albert Wandui was in the PAMO team to the Ivory Coast and was also the best student countrywide in that years KCSE exam. Charles Onyango of Maranda School was also in the IMO2017 team and he got a full scholarship to Seoul National University to study mathematics and computer science. Cynthia Migika of Alliance Girls’ High School got Kenya’s first silver medal in PAMO 2016 in Senegal.
The type of questions in the olympiad are designed to promote problem solving and analytical skills. They provide an appreciable challenge, provoke thought and the spirit of wonder. Often times the student has the requisite background knowledge but the questions demand application of something different from the memorized concepts and routine techniques in the standard curriculum. It requires creative insight, drawing connections not explicitly given, and seeing things in brilliant ways as well as thinking with both imaginative clarity and logical persistence.
The competition provides an excellent link between the University lecturers, and secondary school teachers and students. It also gives a path for the talented student to explore his or her abilities beyond the standard curriculum as well as new and exciting content for mathematics clubs in high School. Students who participate in Olympiads stand a high Chance of getting scholarships in ivy league and elite universities.