Indonesian Students Prepare for IMSO-23 International Competition

RRI.CO.ID, Depok - For Indonesian students Kaindra Nadira Saidtama and Aiden Gracio, participating in the 23rd International Mathematics and Science Olympiad (IMSO-23) is more than an international competition. Their journey has involved intensive study, challenging exercises, selection stages, and preparation to test their abilities alongside young talents from other countries.

Kaindra, a sixth-grade student at SDIT Bina Bangsa Sejahtera in Bogor, West Java, represents Indonesia in the science category after winning a gold medal at the National Science Olympiad (OSN). He said his preparation included intensive problem-solving exercises, online and in-person training, as well as support from his parents.

Kaindra described his selection to represent Indonesia as both a joyful and proud moment. “I was happy and proud,” he said, while encouraging other students interested in science to overcome their hesitation and start by learning or taking part in competitions.

A similar journey was experienced by Aiden Gracio, a sixth-grade student at SD Witama Nasional Plus Srikandi in Pekanbaru, Riau, who competes in mathematics. Aiden went through three selection stages, including online and in-person assessments, training, and simulations, after previously winning a gold medal and the Best Overall award in the elementary school mathematics category at OSN.

When facing difficult problems, Aiden said he starts with similar questions at a lower level of difficulty to understand the underlying concept before applying it to more challenging problems. “Don’t be afraid to try,” Aiden said, emphasizing that the most important outcome of a competition is gaining knowledge and experience.

Indonesia’s IMSO-23 Team Leader Muchammad Fachri said the participants were high-achieving students, including several OSN gold medalists, selected through two online stages and one in-person stage. The training program eventually involved 63 students, consisting of 32 mathematics participants and 31 science participants.

Fachri said the participants faced challenges beyond mastering academic content, as olympiad questions are more difficult than regular school materials and must be understood and answered in English. The students also underwent a more than one-week training camp away from their families, while receiving instruction based on the IMSO syllabus from educators and olympiad coaches.

He said the Indonesian team hopes the students can achieve their best results at IMSO-23, including gold medals and awards such as Best Overall, Best Theory, Best Exploration, or Best Experiment. Education Minister Abdul Mu’ti said the competition also supports Indonesia’s efforts to strengthen STEM education and nurture a new generation of scientists and future leaders, while emphasizing the importance of character development.