The second phase of the "Nesmo" Olympics has begun
The second phase of the National Science and Mathematics Olympiad, "Nasmo," the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's premier scientific event, kicked off today. Organized by the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba), in strategic partnership with the Ministry of Education, this phase runs from April 4th to 9th, with the participation of 19,489 students representing the brightest young minds from across the Kingdom.
General context and historical background
The Nesmo Olympiad aligns closely with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, specifically the Human Capability Development Program, which aims to cultivate globally competitive citizens. Historically, the Mawhiba Foundation has proven its leadership in discovering and nurturing gifted individuals, with its diverse programs contributing to the Kingdom winning hundreds of medals and awards in international science Olympiads over the years. Nesmo builds upon this legacy, representing the first and largest annual national competition specializing in gifted and creative talent, targeting students from the first year of middle school through the first year of high school, to establish a solid foundation of talented and innovative individuals.
Intensive training programs and precise distribution
The second phase features intensive, high-level training programs in 47 cities and governorates. This training is overseen by 778 male and female teachers who have been previously prepared and qualified according to the latest scientific methodologies. The training lasts for five days, with six hours of instruction per day, aiming to refine students' skills and prepare them for advanced competitions.
Mawhiba explained that the qualified students represent 16 educational districts, in addition to the two general education departments of the Royal Commission in Jubail and Yanbu. The participants are distributed across six specific scientific disciplines as follows:
- Mathematics: 5,830 male and female students.
- Information Technology: 5,057 students.
- The number of students is 2,220.
- Physics: 2,218 male and female students.
- Science: 2,102 male and female students.
- Chemistry: 2,061 male and female students.
The importance of the event and its expected impact
Locally, the Olympiad contributes to localizing advanced training within education departments, developing teacher performance, and enriching curricula with topics that cultivate higher-order thinking skills. Regionally and internationally, this event ensures the continued strong Saudi presence in global scientific forums and enhances the Kingdom's ranking in education quality and innovation indicators, paving the way for building a knowledge-based national economy.
The path towards representing the nation globally
The second phase concludes with the General Directorates Competition test on Thursday, April 9th, which will be held in person at the headquarters of the General Directorates of Education. Based on the results of this rigorous test, each education directorate will form its initial team of outstanding students in preparation for the third phase. The next phase includes training for the directorates and national team tests, culminating in the Olympiad finals in Riyadh, the capital, to select those who will represent the Kingdom in international science Olympiads and raise the nation's flag high.
