RIYADH: The second phase of the National Science and Mathematics Olympiad begins on Saturday, with 19,489 students taking part across 47 cities.
The competition is organized by the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity, known as Mawhiba, in partnership with the Ministry of Education.
Running until April 9, the second phase features intensive training programs led by 778 qualified teachers, providing six hours of daily instruction to prepare students for advanced competition.
The qualifiers are distributed across mathematics, informatics, biology, physics, science and chemistry, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The second phase will conclude with an in-person test at the general directorates of education to select outstanding students for the third stage and national team training.
Almost 100,000 male and female students from across the Kingdom registered for this year’s competition in the first phase. The Riyadh region led the nation in registrations, followed by the Makkah and Eastern regions.
The competition progresses through multiple stages, from school-level contests to education department qualifiers, culminating in national team competitions and final rounds held in Riyadh.
As the largest annual national competition for middle and early high school students, the Olympiad aims to broaden the talent pool, localize specialized training and enhance higher-order thinking skills.
The scheme reflects the integrated efforts of Mawhiba and the Ministry of Education to discover and empower gifted students, ensuring the Kingdom’s strong representation in international scientific forums.
