TIMES JAZIRAH, JAKARTA – Three students from Madrasah Aliyah or MA Zainul Hasan 1 Genggong, located in Probolinggo, East Java, have achieved the Merit Award at the Grand Final of the Thailand International Mathematics Olympiad (TIMO) held in Bangkok, Thailand, from Thursday to Monday (April 25-29, 2024).

TIMO, organized annually by OCEC Hong Kong and the Thailand Mathematics Society, serves as a prestigious international competition aimed at stimulating the interest of young generations in mathematics. It fosters the development of creative thinking, broadens international perspectives, and supports educational and cultural exchanges among participating countries.

This year, TIMO invited representatives from 14 regions or countries, including Hong Kong, China, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Ukraine, the Philippines, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, Taiwan, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Cambodia.

Indonesia was represented by three students from MA Zainul Hasan Genggong: Sidqiana Azzahra, Nuriyah Rahmawati, and Faizah Vivi Agustin, accompanied by their mentor, Aninatul Baidiyah, S,TP.

Aninatul Baidiyah expressed pride in MA Zainul Hasan 1 Genggong's achievement, noting that the school ranked among the top 20 out of 90 participants from various countries and received the Merit Award.

Despite initially feeling disappointed, the three students cheered up upon learning that their scores were the highest in their category.

"Initially, the kids were down, but they smiled again when they found out that their scores were the highest," said Ani.

Ani hopes that this success will motivate other students to strive for excellence.

Meanwhile, Nun Hassan Ahsan Malik, the Head of MA Zainul Hasan 1 Genggong, expressed gratitude and pride in the accomplishments of his three students.

"Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah), achieving the Merit Award among 90 participants is extraordinary. Congratulations on this achievement; it's truly remarkable," said Nun Alex, as he is fondly called.

Nun Alex also admitted that this was their first time participating in an offline international competition.

"Alhamdulillah, making it to the top 20 out of 90 participants worldwide. Despite earning the Merit Award, their scores were the highest among the participants," Nun Alex remarked when contacted via phone on Monday (April 29, 2024).

He hopes that this achievement sets an example of how madrasahs can also excel on the international stage.

"This achievement is a source of pride for the school and demonstrates the quality of education at MA Zainul Hasan 1 Genggong," he concluded. (*)