Doha: The Ministry of Education and Higher Education organized the first edition of the 'Mental Arithmetic' Competition. The competition aims to provide activities that contribute to developing mathematical thinking skills among students in the first and second grades of primary school in all public schools. It also aims to support gifted students and highlight their arithmetic abilities. The 'Mental Arithmetic' competition, which early education mentors supervise, aims to enhance the spirit of competition among students, develop their arithmetic and mental skills, and enhance their self-confidence. It also seeks to answer mathematical problems requiring high-performance mental abilities, stimulate concentration skills and agility, and prepare them to participate in international competitions. The competition, which was implemented within the geographical scope of the 13 schools, saw the participation of 540 students, and its stages witnessed interaction among the participating students. Director of the E arly Education Department at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education Dhabya Al Khulaifi stressed the competition's success in all its stages and its contribution to highlighting students' arithmetic skills and preparing them to participate in upcoming competitions at the local and international levels. Source: Qatar News Agency