Many Nigerian children begin to fear Mathematics long before they reach secondary school, often because they struggle with basic calculations.
That is why the Chief Executive Officer of Sima Abacus Mental Maths Academy, Mr Donald Anthony, is urging the Federal Ministry of Education to introduce Abacus education into the national school curriculum, arguing that it would strengthen pupils’ arithmetic foundation and make Mathematics easier to learn.
Anthony made the appeal at the maiden Sima Abacus National Club and Inter-School Competition held at the ICAN Centre, Amuwo Odofin, Lagos, where more than 800 pupils competed in mental arithmetic.
He said children between the ages of three and 13 benefit most from Abacus education because it enhances brain development during their formative years.
Anthony said, “The fear of Mathematics begins when children struggle with basic arithmetic.
“Abacus makes learning enjoyable, builds confidence and develops the brain. We hope the government will consider making it part of our educational system.
“If children begin early, they retain these abilities for life. That is why we encourage parents to expose them to the programme while they are still young.”
An abacus is an ancient calculating device that uses beads on rods to perform arithmetic operations. It is widely regarded as one of the earliest calculating tools and is used to develop mental arithmetic skills.
Anthony said the Sima Abacus competition was inspired by his personal experience as a secondary school student who struggled with calculations during the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination despite having a strong passion for Mathematics.
“I loved Mathematics, but I discovered that knowing formulas alone was not enough because calculations consumed my time. That experience inspired me to search for a better way of learning,” he said.
According to him, he later encountered the Abacus system abroad, where he watched children perform complex mental calculations with remarkable speed.
“When I saw what those children could do, I made up my mind that Nigerian children deserved the same opportunity. If I could not learn it because of my age, I would learn the system and teach our children while they were still young,” he added.
Anthony described the competition as the fulfilment of a long-held vision to equip Nigerian children with skills that would improve their academic performance and cognitive development.
He said the programme goes beyond arithmetic by improving concentration, memory, imagination, creativity and problem-solving skills.
“Sima Abacus is not just about Mathematics. It is a brain development programme that helps children think faster, concentrate better and become more creative,” he said.
Anthony disclosed that Sima Abacus currently partners with about 48 schools across Lagos and plans to expand to other states.
He added that although the academy works with about 48 schools, only 18 that had attained the required training level participated in the maiden competition.
“This is only the beginning. By next year, the competition will be bigger as we continue expanding to other states across Nigeria,” he said.
The highlight of the competition was the presentation of prizes to outstanding participants.
First-place winners in the six categories of the intra-school Sima Abacus Championship included Ezeh Valerie of Krystabel School, Oshodi (Year 5 and 6); Okunlola Roqabah of Krystabel School (Year 4); Elukemi Erioluwa of Kids Network, Egbeda (Year 3); John Ademuyiwa of Kids Network, Egbeda (Category 2); and Valentine Ezeh of Krystabel School, Oshodi (Category 1).
Each first-place winner received N150,000, while second- and third-place winners received N80,000 and N50,000 respectively.
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