Amman, Sept. 22 (Petra) -- HRH Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan, President of the Royal Scientific Society, on Monday patronised the opening of the 14th UCMAS National Abacus and Mental Arithmetic Competition, held at the Amman Ahliya University Arena.

The event brought together 266 students from across Jordan to showcase their skills in abacus and mental arithmetic.

The ceremony was attended by Malaysia’s Ambassador to Jordan, H.E. Mohd Nasri Abdul Rahman, Malaysian Consul Wan Asmayatim, UCMAS International CEO Alexan Wang, as well as representatives of partner schools and corporate sponsors including Arab Bank and Central Trade and Auto – Chery.

In his address, Mr Moataz Azar, CEO and founder of Thaka and UCMAS Jordan, expressed his gratitude for HRH Princess Sumaya’s presence and continued encouragement. He highlighted the role of the programme in developing children’s concentration, memory, and creativity, and praised Jordanian students for their achievements at both national and international levels.

The competition featured three categories: the visual round, where students solved 200 questions in just eight minutes; the auditory round; and the flash round, each demanding speed, accuracy, and high levels of focus.

National champions for 2025 included Yara Masad, who won both the Open Visual Level and the Flash Competition, and Marta Zarzar, along with a new generation of winners across all levels. The champions will undergo intensive training before representing Jordan at the UCMAS International Competition in Tbilisi, Georgia, in December.

It is worth noting that HRH Princess Sumaya has supported Thaka and UCMAS in Jordan since 2008, presiding over their journey for more than 15 years and helping to inspire thousands of Jordanian children to reach their full potential and achieve success both locally and globally //Petra// AA