UCMAS calls for collaboration to expand programme

The Universal Concept Mental Arithmetic System (UCMAS) Ghana Limited, over the weekend held its sixth national inter-schools' competition with a call on educational stakeholders to collaborate to expand the programme to government schools.

Mr Roger Ohemeng, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of UCMAS Ghana Limited, who made the call during a press briefing session, said the programme was an asset that was to help every Ghanaian child to build his brain capability.

Mr Ohemeng, responding to a question on why the programme had not been widely accepted by the government, said a number of attempts had been undertaken to facilitate integration of UCMAS programme into the educational system.

He urged parents to give opportunity to their wards to participate in the upcoming Universal Concept Cup Challenge, scheduled for December this year, and to be hosted in Malaysia.

He said the international competition would expose children from other countries and help them build their self-confidence.

He said UCMAS Ghana was willing to partner with directors of schools to build the confidence levels of children.

The sixth annual inter-schools competition was by pupils aged five to 13 years.

Mr Ohemeng said the UCMAS helped in building healthy ties of friendship among the children as colleagues undergoing mental development, adding that children who could not join this year's competition should be supported to partake in next year's.

Mr Samuel Ntow, the Director of Private Schools at the Ghana Education Service, said the success chalked by UCMAS was incredible.

He said the UCMAS programme had trained many children to exhibit speed and accuracy, confidence, concentration, improved listening skills, comprehension skills, outstanding creativity, photography memory and fantastic arithmetic skills.

He said it was the country's responsibility to provide the needed atmosphere for children to develop mental capability.

He congratulated pupils who represented Ghana at the 2017 international competition and urged all proprietors and parents to enrol their wards in the UCMAS programme to develop their mental abilities.

Mr Ntow said the major challenge for the Ghanaian child was mathematics but indicated that through UCMAS, they could overcome the mathematics phobia.

On her part, Mrs Kirti Gurbani, the Technical Director for UCMAS West Africa, said UCMAS was now present in every region and operating more than 150 centres and more than fifty-five franchisees across the country.

She said the UCMAS programme had been partnered with more than 300 schools, across the country currently running the programme as a school curriculum activity.

She said UCMAS Ghana Limited through its effective patronage and partnership was present in 14 African countries.

"We hope to gradually ensure total brain development, eradicate maths phobia from all Ghanaian children, boost their confidence level, enhance their listening skills, and strengthen their creativity and imagination level for the educational development of Ghana," Mrs Gurbani said.

Pupils and students from various centres competed in different categories; General competition for all students of UCMAS programme, Kindergarten and Basic School, Elementary A upwards, Listening competition and Flashcards competition among others.