Parents and schools have been urged to give greater support to educational programmes that help children develop critical thinking, problem-solving and independent learning skills.

Senior Operations Officer at the Free SHS Secretariat, Eric Borsah, made the call at the 15th National Competition of the Universal Concept of Mental Arithmetic System (UCMAS) Ghana.

Speaking on behalf of the National Coordinator of the Free SHS Secretariat, Benita Sena Okity-Duah, as the Special Guest of Honour, Borsah said programmes such as UCMAS, STEM and robotics play an important role in preparing children to think independently and tackle challenges.

“The UCMAS competition itself enables children to develop early cognitive learning skills,” he said.

He explained that the skills developed through such programmes could help children become more confident in analysing situations, solving problems and making decisions on their own.

“We are looking at their ability to think critically and solve problems. We want them to be able to do things on their own. With UCMAS, STEM, and robotics, children are challenged to solve issues independently and build on their cognitive skills. This is something we in the education sector are proud of,” Borsah stated.

He therefore encouraged parents to actively support their children to participate in programmes that complement classroom learning and strengthen their cognitive abilities.

“I encourage children to embrace it and urge parents to support their wards to excel in fields like this,” he added.

The 15th UCMAS National Competition, held from August 14 to 17, 2026, at the Pentecost Convention Centre, Gomoa Fetteh in the Central Region, brought together more than 2,500 pupils from 120 schools across the country.

The four-day competition tested participants in mental arithmetic, logical reasoning and problem-solving, with 300 pupils eventually honoured for outstanding performances in various categories.

Head of Schools at UCMAS Ghana and member of the organising committee, Patrick Ampeh, described the competition as a major success, highlighting the exceptional abilities demonstrated by the young participants.

“Our champion did amazingly well. For young children to be able to answer 200 questions within eight minutes is a great feat,” he said.

Ampeh noted that some pupils also demonstrated their ability to apply UCMAS concepts to solve mathematical problems within 23 minutes.

He said the achievements reflected the importance of building strong academic foundations from an early age.

“For every child to become great in future, it depends on the foundation. With UCMAS, we help broaden their knowledge base, develop both the left and right brain, and build critical thinking skills,” he explained.

Meanwhile, Managing Director of UCMAS Ghana, Girish Gurbani, called for stronger collaboration between the organisation and government institutions to expand the programme and make it accessible to more children nationwide.

He said UCMAS Ghana had been authorised by the Ghana Education Service and the Ministry of Education to operate its programmes across the country and had consistently worked with relevant authorities.