KUALALUMPUR, MALAYSIA - Media OutReach -28 February 2019 - Theinaugural edition of the Singapore Math Team Global Challenge (SINGA) was heldin Kuala Lumpur, with hundreds of students from over 15 countries in Asia inattendance. The event took place from 17-19^th November 2018 and theresults were announced in January, with local private institution St. John'sInternational School receiving some top honours in the Individual and Teamcategories.

Muchmore than a 'pop quiz', SINGA introduces an exciting and ambitious competitionfor mathematics students, with individual and team-based problem solvingchallenges. The contest aims to encourage rich exploration of mathematicsthrough discussion and debate, as well as inspire students to gain intellectualconfidence and a passion for learning.

Sincethe 1980s, the "Singapore method" for mathematics has been hailed as one of theleading learning methodologies in the world. Developed using behaviouralscience research and influenced by educational psychologists, the system wasdesigned with a strong emphasis on problem solving, and modelling mathematicalproblems using visual aids. The SINGA competition questions reflected theSingapore school system, noted for the high content of High Order ThinkingSkills (HOTS).

Malaysianstudents certainly weren't there just to make up the numbers, however. Localprivate school SJIS managed to bag 1 Gold, 3 Silver and 3 Bronze Awards. In theSINGA Individual Category, Ewan Koay Chien Liang (Year 11) grabbed a GoldAward, with two students -- Tan Jia Jun (Y11) and Wayan Wong Jian Wei (Y10) --securing Silver Awards.

SJISkept up the good work in the SINGA Team Category: Wayan Wong Jian Wei won theSilver Award, with Ewan Koay, Tan Jia Jun and Brandon Tan (all Y11) bagging theBronze. The school's incentive plan awarded each of these students a generous cashprize relative to their performance. SJIS prides itself on a holistic educationand excellent scholastic tradition, an approach which surely contributed tosuccess in a competition with challenges that went "beyond the classroom".

Thestudents' success is a boon for both SJIS and education in Malaysia. As moreemphasis is placed on the teaching and learning of Science, Technology,Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) education in our country, it is hearteningto see local students achieve success against international competition.

SINGA isorganised by some of the most prestigious names in the Singapore educationfield: Miss Foo Pau Choo, Dean of the Singapore Scholastic Trust Teachers'Institute (SSTTI), Mr Henry Ong, President of the Singapore Scholastic Trust(SST) & Founder of the Singapore and Asian Schools Math Olympiad (SASMO),and Merlan Nagidulin, General Manager of the Singapore International MathContests Centre (SIMCC).

St. John's International School or SJIS is aprivate-funded International School that is an associate La Salle School incollaboration with the La Salle Brothers in Malaysia. SJIS presents a newmilieu for students from different cultures and backgrounds to be nurtured ineducation, sports and extra-curricular activities excellence. Members of SJISfaculty are discerningly selected for their top academic qualifications andmethodical competencies. They are chosen for their penchant in the scholasticcare of students, and in the consistency in maintaining updated knowledge andpractice.