• Saturday, 03-01-2026

PTUK Hosts Third Stage of the Palestinian Mathematics Olympiad

Palestine Technical University – Kadoorie PTUK today hosted the third stage of the Palestinian Mathematics Olympiad 2026, organized by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education in partnership with Taawon Association and the Palestine Academy for Science and Technology. The event brought together 140 male and female students from school grades ten and eleven who qualified from education directorates across Palestine, and was held across all PTUK campuses.

The Olympiad is supervised by the General Directorate of Creativity and Excellence at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. This stage included 140 students who qualified from more than 5,000 participants at the school level, followed by 1,046 participants at the directorate level. The current stage will result in the selection of 50 top students to advance to the final phase.

In this context, Prof. Hussein Shenak, President of PTUK, stated that hosting this advanced stage of the Mathematics Olympiad reflects the university’s national and academic role in supporting gifted students and embracing high-quality scientific initiatives.

He emphasized that the university places its academic and human resources at the service of programs that promote excellence and creativity, and that contribute to preparing a generation capable of analytical thinking and scientific competition at the regional and international levels.
Prof. Shanak explained that hosting the examination sessions at multiple university locations underscores PTUK’s commitment to effective partnership with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and national institutions.

He noted that this approach aligns with the university’s mission to link school education with academic and research pathways, contributing to the development of a productive, knowledge-based society capable of competing globally.

In this regard, Prof. Amjad Barham, Minister of Education and Higher Education, affirmed that the Mathematics Olympiad is one of the most prominent national programs aimed at discovering and nurturing scientifically gifted students.

He noted that the Olympiad falls within the framework of the Education for Development plan, which emphasizes creative education and analytical thinking, and commended the partnership with the Palestine Academy for Science and Technology, the support of Taawon Association, and PTUK’s hosting of the event.

For his part, Prof. Marwan Awartani, President of the Palestine Academy for Science and Technology, stated that the National Mathematics Olympiad represents a high-level competitive scientific platform designed to refine students’ skills in logical thinking and problem-solving, and to promote a culture of scientific research from early educational stages, emphasizing that the Olympiad contributes to enabling Palestinian students to participate in Arab and international competitions.

Meanwhile, Dr. Tareq Amtira, Director General of Taawon Association, noted that the institution’s support for this scientific event aligns with its developmental objectives in the education and knowledge sectors, and contributes to the sustainability of the Mathematics Olympiad and the advancement of its technical and organizational aspects.

At the conclusion of the event, Dr. Ahmad Ammar, Secretary of the Steering Committee of the National Olympiad, explained that this stage will lead to the nomination of 50 students to participate in the winter camp hosted by Al-Istiqlal University, after which 12 students will be selected to represent Palestine in regional and international Mathematics Olympiads.

He stressed that the National Mathematics Olympiad is one of the most significant competitive scientific programs in Palestine, as it promotes a culture of scientific excellence, discovers young talents, and builds capable cadres able to compete globally through a national partnership that reflects the integration of roles among the ministry, universities, and supporting institutions.