Republic Bank Supports Ministry of Education’s Mental Math Competition

Republic Bank was pleased to partner once again with the Ministry of Education, Technology and Vocational Training in conjunction with Hodder Education in hosting the annual Primary Mental Maths Competition.

Targeting Class Four students from both public and private primary schools across the island, the competition aims to stimulate interest in mental maths among primary students and to provide a forum to showcase their abilities in a fun-loving and competitive manner.

Sharon Howell, Marketing Officer Communications said, “Republic Bank is pleased to once again be on board in support of the Mental Math Competition. It is these kinds of partnerships that create an opportunity for the Bank to invest in our nation’s children.” Investments like these are supported under the Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility Program, the Power to Make a Difference, which focuses on the following pillars: the Power to Help, the Power the Care, The Power to Succeed and the Power to Learn.

Now in its third year, the competition was held during Education Month which is celebrated during October in Barbados each year. The Final was held on October 30, 2019 at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre (LESC). Education Officer Mathematics Wendy Griffith whose brain child the contest was, described it as a resounding success and was grateful for partners like Republic Bank who offered prizes to reward the children for their outstanding work.

The Rock Christian, Wesley Hall Junior and Charles F Broome Memorial Primary Schools competed in the Final, with Charles F Broome Memorial completing a hat trick by emerging winners for the third consecutive year.

Students were given ten seconds to respond to a worded problem. The audience sat in sheer admiration of the sharp minds of the 10 and 11 year old’s ability to answer worded problems correctly in such a short time frame. The competition featured an individual round, where one student from each team represented their school. In this round, participants were challenged with answering as many problems as possible within 60 seconds. Jovani Lovell of Charles F Broome was in winners’ row setting a new record by answering 21 speed questions correctly.

Republic Bank sponsored the first placed team which saw the five representatives of Charles F Broome Memorial walk away with one RightStart Account, each valued at five hundred ($500.00) Barbados dollars.