Brainobrain Kids Academy graduates first batch of math champs
HIGH COMMISSIONER of India to Jamaica Masakui Rungsung and his wife Zingcharwon Rungsung were guests of honour on April 5 to recognise the first graduating class of Brainobrain Kids Academy Limited in Jamaica. The l evel-10 students were also presented with trophies and medals of the related international competition.
Brainobrain (Brain-o-Brain) is an abacus-based mental arithmetic programme for children of age group six to 14 years. The Brainobrain Centre in Jamaica was started in 2020 by Renuka Prasad, with more than 50 children in Jamaica having been benefitted thus far using this methodology. In January of this year, Brainobrain Kids Academy Limited conducted an International Competition in which over 20,000 students from 45 countries participated.
Brainobrain Jamaica students trained by highly skilled teachers performed exceptionally and won awards in different categories such as Champions, Gold and Silver Toppers.
The high commissioner remarked i n his address that “quick and accurate math is a fundamental need in everyone’s life and I’m surprised to witness these young children solving arithmetic sums within seconds”. He quipped that he wouldn’t be able to solve any of these sums as quickly and accurately as the children did, and expressed appreciation for the work of the teachers.
Established i n 2003 with headquarters in the southern Indian city of Chennai, Brainobrain has its footprints across 45 countries with over 1,000 centres. In the l ast 20 years, 500,000 children have benefitted through the programme which is designed to improve children’s memory, speed, accuracy, concentration and self-confidence. Brainobrain promotes the teaching of mathematics through the Abacus System widely used in India, China, Europe, Russia and several parts of the world.
Prasad, franchisee of Brainobrain in Jamaica said the journey started in January 2020 with just eight students during COVID-19 which saw transitioning of face -to-face classes to online delivery. It has now grown to 50 students in four years. The objective she said is to make every child fall in love with learning. Just 15 minutes of Brainobrain practice every day could make a huge difference to a child’s development from a young age of six years with fun learning and empower young geniuses in Jamaica.
In traditional methods of teaching, emphasis is on left brain development and as a result the right brain remains relatively undeveloped. With Brainobrain as a tool for whole brain development, children are able to use visualisation, auditory learning and kinesthetic training while working with the Abacus. Students visualise the beads in their mind, learn magic words for calculations and physically work the apparatus, the programme’s proponents note.
It improves the mental ability of calculating several digits of arithmetic problems just within seconds (As an example, 20 arithmetic sums can be solved in 10 seconds with practice). Children can add and subtract multiple mathematical problems faster than a calculator. It is a 10-level programme, and each level is for three to four months. As they go up the levels, kids resolve multiplication, division and decimals within seconds.
Parents of Brainobrain Level-9 student Pratham Rishwanth said Brainobrain has played a vital role in developing his numerical skills, speed and accuracy for winning several awards in math quizzes, including the Junior School Challenge Quiz.
“I am very grateful to the teachers who are training the children with lots of hardwork and dedication,” they shared. Jihan Gidwani, Level-5 Brainobrain student from Montego Bay said, “Learning math became more interesting, lively and full of fun after I joined Brainobrain.”