More Gold For Indonesian Math Team

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Eight elementary school students representing Indonesia in "The 12th Po Leng Kuk Elementary International Contest for Math" held in Hong Kong July 12-15, 2008 grabbed 5 gold medals.

"It is an outstanding achievement because almost all elementary school students representing Indonesia in the international contest were able to do their best," the director for kindergarten and elementary school management at the National Education Ministry, Mudjito Ak, said here on Thursday.

Mudjit said the Indonesian team at a similar contest in 2007 won only one gold medal but taking a good lesson from that failure, the participating students this year were trained and prepared intensively and were able to perform much better in the event in Hong Kong.

Indonesia was this year allowed to send two of its 43 teams because the country`s participation in such a contest was relatively new, while other countries such as Thailand, the Philippines, Taiwan, China, and the United States sent more than two teams.

"The Philippines sent six teams and Indonesia only two teams but they succeeded in grabbing five gold medals and a silver medal," Mudjito said.

The five Indonesian students who won the gold medals were Richard Akira Heru of Bernadus elementary school in Semarang, Peter Young of Santa Maria elementary school in Surabaya, Stefano Chiesa of Theresia elementary school in Jakarta, Chrrista L Susanto of Tirta Marta Penabur elementary school in Jakarta, Fransisca Susan of Santa Ursula elementary school in Jakarta, and the silver medal was won by Reynaldi of Kemang Pratama Al Azhar elementary school in Bekasi, West Java.