By Corina Luca Focsan
“By failing to prepare we are preparing to fail”
–Benjamin Franklin
It is no news that our government has been fascinated with budget cuts and sadly I do not share the fascination of the particular cut I will be discussing in this column. In previous years by March, CONACYT would secure the Mexican Math Society (MMS) an amount of money allowing the creation of programs such as the Mexican Math Olympiad (MMO). Yet, due to the reduction of money destined for science and technology, these math programs along with other activities from the MMS are in danger of cancellation (Vázquez, 2019).
For those who have a pessimistic view towards mathematics in Mexico, considering that in the PISA examinations Mexico has scored among the last 5 countries of the OCDE, I would like to invite them to look at Mexico’s participation in the IMO (International Math Olympiad) where Mexico has ranked in the top 20 from 100 countries and has won 3 gold medals (Vega, 2017). Additionally, Mexico has obtained several gold medals in many other international contests such as the Latin American Mathematics Olympiad where Mexican students tend to score over their Latin American peers. In 2014 the Mexican team even positioned itself in first place from the 22 invited countries. Moreover, Mexico has maintained itself in first place in the Central American and Caribbean Math Olympiad for ten years. Sadly, these contests and activities cannot be carried out without the funding that CONACYT is hesitant to provide. My claim is simple: there is potential in Mexican youth and it must continue to be developed (ommenlinea.org, s.f.).
To access these international contests, participants must pass vigorous examinations from the Mexican Mathematics Olympiad. This Olympiad is a program that seeks to promote the participation in mathematics from a young age, motivating students to think outside the box and to have a deep understanding of patterns, numbers and shapes instead of memorizing formulas (as done in school). In this way, new generations are acquiring tools like logical and abstract thinking to attack challenging problems in mathematics and the world. The contest begins when each state does a series of filter exams to select students that will receive intensive training. After completing the training program, the state then selects the best six students and sends them to a national contest in November. The top sixteen participants from the national phase would be granted gold medals and opportunities to participate in the international contests mentioned above and more (Cendejas, 2017).
Even though this contest may sound “elitist” because only six people per state go to the national phase and even fewer continue, the Olympiad is a celebration and exploitation of talent that benefits the whole community. This is reflected in a study done by Campbell and Walberg in 2010 where after analysing the career paths of 345 American ex-Olympiad participants, they discovered the subjects had created a total of 8,000 scientific products (Cendejas, 2017).
Furthermore, studies done by José Cendejas (2017) tracked the type of educational institutions that Mexican Math Olympiad participants attended and discovered that approximately 40% of these participants came from public schools. This shows how the Mexican Math Olympiad can act as an equalizer in education by taking in students from different backgrounds and presenting them with the same opportunities of growth.
Another aspect where the Olympiad has been creating bridges is gender equity. In 2014 the MMO began selecting and training girls to represent Mexico in the EGMO (European Girls Math Olympiad) and by doing so has successfully motivated more female participation in science. Consequently, in 2016 with the participation of Olga Medrano, Mexico took its first golden medal in such international female contest (Cerna, 2016).
In conclusion, the mathematics Olympiad has helped to create the Excellency students that the educational system has failed to prepare. It has guided children into a path of true learning while providing them with a broader vision of the world its opportunities, and I personally would be very sad to watch it fall apart– particularly because I am one of those children. I strongly suggest the reader to listen very carefully, for if these programs cease to exist, we might be able to hear the sound of closing doors.
