Details of the second phase of the Nesmo Olympics in 47 cities
kicked off today Olympiad (Nasmo , reflecting the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's commitment to developing the capabilities of its youth. This event is organized by the King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba), in effective strategic partnership with the Ministry of Education. This phase will run from April 4th to 9th, with wide participation including 19,489 male and female students representing various regions of the Kingdom.
A sustainable national vision behind the launch of the Nesmo Olympics
competition is The Nesmo Olympiad an extension of the Kingdom's long-standing and institutional efforts to discover and nurture talented individuals. Since the establishment of the Mawhiba Foundation, the Kingdom has strived to build an integrated system that fosters innovation and creativity, in line with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, which prioritizes education and human capital development. This focus is not a recent development, but rather the culmination of years of dedicated work to promote a culture of scientific excellence in Saudi schools and to transform the passion for science and mathematics into a tangible reality that contributes to building a strong and sustainable knowledge-based economy.
Intensive training programs to qualify students
This phase includes intensive training programs across cities and governorates, overseen by 778 male and female teachers who have been previously prepared and qualified according to the highest educational and scientific standards. The training takes place in 47 cities and governorates over five consecutive days, with six hours of instruction each day. This significant effort is part of preparing and qualifying students for advanced competitions. Mawhiba explained that those who have qualified for this phase represent 16 educational districts, in addition to the two general education departments of the Royal Commission in Jubail and Yanbu.
Distribution of students across specific scientific disciplines
The participating students are distributed across the six Olympiad disciplines, reflecting a diversity of scientific interests: 5,830 students in mathematics, 5,057 in informatics, 2,220 in biology, 2,218 in physics, 2,102 in general science, and 2,061 in chemistry. The second phase concludes with the General Directorates Competition test on Thursday, April 9, which will be held in person at the General Directorates of Education headquarters. Based on the results of this test, each education directorate will form its initial team of outstanding students in preparation for the third phase, which includes directorate training and national team tests.
Local and international impact of discovering scientific talent
This scientific event holds immense importance, extending beyond the local level to encompass regional and international impact. Locally, the Olympiad contributes to broadening the pool of talented students in public education, integrating training in Olympiad sciences within education departments, and enhancing teacher performance. Regionally and internationally, enriching curricula with topics that cultivate higher-order thinking skills strengthens students' readiness to compete globally. Preparing this elite group of students ensures the Kingdom's distinguished representation in international science Olympiads, thereby raising Saudi Arabia's ranking in global education indicators and reaffirming its leadership in exporting creative minds.
Record numbers reflect scientific ambition
It is worth noting that the Olympiad set a record in its inaugural edition, witnessing the participation of 99,179 male and female students representing 8,356 schools across 47 cities and governorates, distributed among 16 educational districts. This exceptional scene reflects the broad base of participation and the presence of scientific ambition among students. This Olympiad is the first and largest annual national competition specializing in the fields of science and mathematics, targeting students from the first year of middle school to the first year of high school. It progresses through progressive stages, starting at the school level, then at the education department level, culminating in the national team competition and the Olympiad finals in Riyadh, with the aim of discovering, empowering, and preparing talented students for the future.
