51st IMO: Three gold, two silver medals - proof of domestic educational system's success
ANA. July 14. KAZINFORM /Muratbek Makulbekov/ "Mathematics is the Queen of all Sciences", considered one of the greatest mathematicians of all times, outstanding physician and astronomer Carl Friedrich Gauss. And it is not accidentally that from the ancient times achievements in mathematics have been a measure of human's scientific abilities.
Mathematical olympiads have always been the most prestigious scientific competitions for young people.
The International Mathematical Olympiad that has been held annually since 1959 is one of them. The venue of the event is determined by its International Steering Committee. Almost all countries of the globe are taking part in it.
The 51st International Mathematical Olympiad held this year in Astana brought together the participants from 98 countries. Following it the Kazakh team ranked the 5th after China, the U.S.A., Russia and South Korea and we should be proud of this.. This is a great success for us, since our school students coped with extremely difficult problems of the Olympiad and showed better results than the countries which educational system had formed earlier than in Kazakhstan. But we should not forget that our country is an heiress of the mathematical school founded by great scientists of the Middle Ages Al-Farabi and Al-Horezmi who greatly contributed to development of mathematics long before than modern countries of the West appeared.
The Kazakh school students have always demonstrated high level of mathematical education of our country and have always brought medals from all mathematical competitions. In whole, since 1998 our young mathematicians have won 62 medals in mathematical contests, including 8 gold, 17 silver and 37 bronze ones. At the 51st IMO our team was awarded three gold and two silver medals.
Hosting the International Mathematical Olympiad is a great honor for any country especially for Kazakhstan which has recently gained its independence. This year Kazakhstan chairs the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe - the most authoritative structure of the world. And the decision of the International Steering Committee to let Kazakhstan hold the IMO proves Kazakhstan's successful integration into the global community as a sovereign state which gives much attention to improvement of the quality of education and enhancement of its scientific potential.
Identification and encouragement of talented children is an essential condition of development of education and science and formation of scientific elite in the country. In Kazakhstan it is one of state importance issues. Thus, in 1998 the President of Kazakhstan charged to establish Daryn Republic Scientific Practical Center - a unique scientific educational institution for work with gifted children. As Askar Dzhumadildayev, academician, member of the 51st IMO Jury, considers, Kazakhstani students have high level of knowledge in mathematics.
To date Daryn Center is actively engaged in organization of various competitions and olympiads both on national and international levels including those in mathematics. Chairman of the IMO International Advisory Council, Professor Jozsef Pelikan who had visited our country within preparation for the Olympiad noted high professionalism and huge experience of Daryn Center's experts in organization of such high-level olympiads.
In his welcoming address to the IMO participants President Nursultan Nazarbayev noted that holding such prestigious competition in our country must become a new stimulus for Kazakhstani youth in strengthening friendship, exchange of ideas and talents with their peers from other countries.
Along with the competition the organizers of the 51st IMO - the Kazakh Ministry of Education and Science and Daryn Center - tried to fill the program of the participants' staying in Kazakhstan with various interesting and amazing activities.
The Olympiad was held at Badauren Republican Education and Health Center in Akmola oblast.
The center located on the shore of the Shchuchye River is one of the best facilities for children's rest on the whole CIS space. Baldauren was founded on the President's personal instruction in 2000. USD 4 mln was spent in total for the Center's construction. Today Baldauren is a unique children's center which has no analogues in the CIS and Eurasia apart from "Artek" in the Crimea, "Orlyonok" and "Ocean" in Russia and "Zubrenok" camp in Belarus. The Nomination Committee of the European Business Assembly (EBA, Oxford, Great Britain) nominated Baldauren Center for "European Quality" International award.
The Center has a school, a six-storey dormitory, a medical complex, a sports complex, an administrative building and an indoor swimming pool.
Dierk Schleicher, an observer from the Federal Republic of Germany positively assessed organization of the 51st International Mathematic Olympiad. "Evidently, Kazakhstan used to organize such large-scale events. Everyone here knows what he must do and does it well. To my mind, holding the Olympiad at the place where the participants live is very convenient. We do not spend hours in buses trying to get to the Olympiad venue. In whole, I am confident that the contestants successfully cope with the problems of the first round", D. Schleicher said.
Picturesque nature, well-equipped camp and professional work of the staff made a good impression on the participants of the Olympiad and the leaders of the teams. An excursion around the Shchuchye-Borovoye resort zone, a trip to Kokshetau town and various ancient burial mounds became memorable events for the children from every corner of the world. As the participants noted "Kazakhstan is a developed country with rich culture, ancient history and friendly, hospitable people".
Upon completion of the cultural-entertaining program, the Equestrian Federation of Kazakhstan organized a show of national equestrian games at Kazanat hippodrome during which the children enjoyed the most popular equestrian competitions.
The closing ceremony of the Olympiad was held at the capital's Independence Palace on July 13. Prime Minister Karim Massimov and Minister of Education and Science took part in it.
By the Jury's decision 47 contestants were awarded gold medals, 104 ones received silver and 115 contestants received bronze. Chinese school student Nie Zipei became an Absolute Champion of the 51st IMO.
As for the Kazakh team, gold medal was awarded to Kanat Satylkhanov, Nursultan Khajimuratov and Denis Ovchinnikov. Silver medals were awarded to Rauan Rakhmet and Medet Zhanbolatov. Azamat Duisenbayev received a certificate of honor.