Mawhiba and Ministry of Education Launch the Third Stage of National Science and Mathematics Olympiad “NSMO”

The Third Stage of the inaugural edition of the National Science and Mathematics Olympiad (NSMO) was launched today. Organized by King Abdulaziz and his Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity "Mawhiba", in strategic partnership with the Ministry of Education, the event runs from April 25 to 30. The Olympiad aims to select an elite group of public education students to represent the Kingdom in international scientific competitions.

A total of (9,945) students are competing in this stage, distributed across the Olympiad’s six disciplines. The participation includes (2,690) students in Mathematics, (1,950) in Informatics, (1,355) in Biology, (1,341) in Physics, (1,308) in General Science, and (1,301) in Chemistry.

The Third Stage of the National Science and Mathematics Olympiad (NSMO) features students competing to represent their regional educational teams. This competition is conducted through an integrated program that commences with in-person training across (16) education directorates, supervised by (528) pre-qualified male and female teachers. This stage will culminate in an on-site examination administered within the respective education directorates.

NSMO stands as the first and largest annual national competition specialized in the fields of science and mathematics. Targeting students from Grade (7) to Grade (10), the competition unfolds through progressive stages starting at the school level, expanding to cities and governorates, and culminating in the national team competition for education directorates and the Olympiad finals in Riyadh. This rigorous process aims at identifying the gifted students, and then empowering and preparing them to excel in international scientific Olympiads.

The First Stage of the Olympiad, launched last February, recorded the participation of (99,179) students from (8,356) schools across (47) cities and governorates throughout the Kingdom. From this extensive group, (19,489) students qualified for the Second Stage, while (9,945) advanced to the Third Stage.

NSMO aims to expand the scope of identifying the gifted students within public education and to localize Olympiad science training within education directorates. It seeks to increase the number of beneficiaries of specialized programs, foster scientific interests, and enhance teacher performance. Furthermore, the initiative focuses on enriching curricula with problems that develop higher-order thinking skills, thereby bolstering students' readiness for global competition.

NSMO embodies the fruitful collaboration between Mawhiba and the Ministry of Education. This partnership stems from a shared belief in the significance of expanding the participation base in Olympiad sciences and deepening its impact within the educational field. Furthermore, it aims to enhance the integration of national efforts to elevate the level of Saudi students' participation in global scientific forums.

King Abdulaziz and his Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity "Mawhiba" stands as a globally leading institution in identifying and fostering the gifted students. Serving as a national system for giftedness and creativity, it operates according to a strategic plan to foster giftedness, creativity, and innovation within scientific domains of national priority. These efforts are dedicated to building a knowledge-based society and fostering a vibrant culture of innovation.