Amman: HRH Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan patronized the 15th annual national competition for the UCMAS program at the Arena Complex on Saturday, with the participation of 211 students from various governorates across the Kingdom.
According to Jordan News Agency, the ceremony was attended by Malaysian Consul to Jordan Muhd Irfan Zulkurnain, representatives of sponsoring companies and entities led by the Arena Club and Al-Ahliyya Amman University, as well as educators, school principals, and partners. In his address, Moataz Azar, founder and CEO of Thaka Jordan, welcomed Princess Sumaya, noting her continuous support since 2007 in patronizing the annual competition and commending her keen interest in the education sector and commitment to supporting students across both school and university levels.
The event featured a visual competition in which students faced the challenge of solving 200 questions in eight minutes as well as auditory and "flash" competitions, where participants demonstrated exceptional levels of concentration, speed, accuracy, and mental acuity. The Jordanian champions for the 2026 visual competition were announced at the end of the competitions.
Qualifying in the national competition offers the winners the opportunity to represent Jordan at the international edition of the UCMAS program, to be held this year in Sri Lanka; the champions will undergo an intensive training camp in preparation for the international contests. UCMAS is a global program designed to develop the mental capabilities of children aged 5 to 13. It utilizes the manual abacus as a training tool to foster skills in thinking, concentration, memory, creativity, and problem-solving, thereby enhancing children's mental abilities and supporting their academic performance as well as their personal and social development.
The program operates in over 80 countries worldwide, continuing its mission to develop children's skills and mental capabilities.