Schools across South Africa will host the first rounds of the country’s two largest school mathematics competitions this month, as learners prepare to participate in the South African Mathematics Olympiad (SAMO) and the South African Mathematics Challenge (SAMC).
The first round of the South African Mathematics Olympiad (SAMO) will take place on 12 March 2026, followed shortly afterwards by the South African Mathematics Challenge (SAMC), which schools will write between 16 and 20 March.
Together, the competitions continue to play an important role in positioning mathematics as a gateway subject while giving learners an opportunity to engage with the discipline beyond routine classroom learning. Through carefully designed questions, both competitions encourage logical thinking, creativity and problem-solving — while also identifying talented learners who may go on to represent South Africa in international competitions.
Early registration data indicates strong national growth in participation for 2026.
The South African Mathematics Olympiad, aimed at high school learners, has recorded 105,084 provisional entries for its first round — up significantly from 87,787 entries in 2025, reflecting an increase of more than 17,000 learners nationwide.
Mpumalanga leads participation with 23,337 provisional entries, followed by Gauteng with 19,228 and the Eastern Cape with 15,908. Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal follow with 12,608 and 12,043 entries respectively, while the Western Cape has recorded 10,085. North West (5,126), Free State (3,382) and Northern Cape (2,739) complete the provincial breakdown, with a further 628 entries from international schools across Southern Africa.
The South African Mathematics Challenge, aimed at primary school learners from Grade 4, has also grown in reach. Provisional registrations show 81,085 learners entered for 2026, compared with 77,357 in 2025.
Mpumalanga again leads with 20,147 entries, followed by Limpopo (10,151), KwaZulu-Natal (9,311), Gauteng (8,795) and the Western Cape (8,868). North West has recorded 8,616 entries, while Northern Cape (7,275), Eastern Cape (6,132) and Free State (1,631) round out participation figures, with 159 international entries recorded across Southern Africa.
The continued growth highlights the important role played by schools and teachers in encouraging learners to explore mathematics beyond the classroom and to build confidence in analytical thinking.
Both competitions begin with a school-based first round, with participating schools arranging a suitable time during the official competition window for learners to complete the one-hour multiple-choice paper. Teachers mark the answer sheets at school before submitting results to the South African Mathematics Foundation (SAMF), with learners who achieve 50% or more qualifying for the second round scheduled for May 2026.
As schools prepare to host the opening rounds, thousands of learners across the country are set to test their mathematical thinking in what has become a key milestone on South Africa’s academic calendar — reinforcing the value of education, shared opportunity and future-focused skills development.
