On the morning of April 16, 2021, the 3rd Meeting of the Fifth Standing Council of the World Association of Abacus and Mental Arithmetic (hereinafter referred to as “WAAMA”) was held via videoconferencing, attended by members of the Standing Council of China, Hong Kong (China), Taiwan (China), Canada, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Korea, Tonga, the United States as well as other countries and regions. Liu Jianhua, Chairwoman of WAAMA, delivered a speech at the meeting. Mr. Cheng Beiping, Secretary-General of WAAMA, presided over the meeting. Zhao Xiangyi and Wang Yanling (Assistant Secretary-Generals of WAAMA), Wen Zhifang and Ni Xiaojing (Deputy Secretary-Generals of the Chinese Abacus and Mental Arithmetic Association (CAMAA), Huang Wenkun (Executive President of the Abacus and Mental Arithmetic Institute, Chinese Academy of Fiscal Sciences) and Jin Zhongying (President of Australia Abacus and Mental Arithmetic Inc.) attended the meeting as non-voting delegates.
At the meeting, members of the Standing Council reviewed and summarized the methods and experiences of their respective institutions in carrying out activities in the face of COVID-19 pandemic over the past year, conducted extensive exchanges and discussions on the work arrangements and reform directions of WAAMA in the following year, and proposed specific suggestions on relevant work of the WAAMA Secretariat.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the teaching activities of abacus and mental arithmetic have been generally carried out in small classes offline instead of online, for which we should actively adapt to these changes and ensure the teaching quality, said Ms. Wang Lisha (President of the ISTAR Education of Canada).
Ms. Nip Tin Sing (President of International Mathematics and Abacus Association, Hong Kong SAR, China) shared her personal experience from knowing, accepting and loving abacus and mental arithmetic education, and actively put forward suggestions on how to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of WAAMA.
Mr. Hsiao, Chiu-Yung (Vice President of WAAMA, Vice President of Taiwan Chamber of Commerce, Taiwan, China and Chairman of the Mathematical Committee of Abacus and Mental Arithmetic) said, as the virus was gradually contained, the Taiwan Chamber of Commerce looked forward to resuming academic exchanges and field visits with CAMAA at an early date, to further deepen the cross-strait friendship in the area of abacus.
Mr.Alexsander K. Taslim (Vice President of WAAMA and Chairman of SEMPOA SIP Indonesia) said, to publicize the enlightening principle and practical value of abacus and mental arithmetic by holding seminars and lectures in this regard was helpful to enhance the understanding and support of the public and students' parents for abacus education.
Mr. Chong Tai Kaw (Vice President of WAAMA and President of IMA Mental Arithmetics, Malaysia) shared their valuable experience in carrying out innovative teaching activities amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He said, by developing abacus teaching software, we could realize online teaching and evaluation, and extract and analyze relevant data of the teaching activities in a convenient way, so as to further improve the teaching quality.
Mr. Hwang Ho Joong (Vice President of WAAMA, and President of Institution of International Abacus and Mathematics Association, South Korea) put forward new suggestions on the mode, rules, award setting and fees of the Eighth Abacus and Mental Arithmetic Competition of the World Association of Abacus and Mental Arithmetic to be held in South Korea in 2021.
Mr. Loani Tahitu’a (Senior Assistant to Education Officer of Tonga Soroban Education Association, Tonga) said, Tonga would resume the abacus and mental arithmetic training and competition in 2021, and further strengthen evaluation on the abacus curriculum for primary schools.
Ms. Sally YaLi Chou (Vice President of WAAMA and President of Chinese American Abacus Association) said, by providing online hands-on training and exchanging experience among abacus and mental arithmetic teachers, the Association has helped teachers overcome the strangeness and fear of online teaching and effectively improve online teaching quality.
In her speech, Chairwoman Liu Jianhua pointed out, looking back on 2020, with the support and cooperation of various member organizations, WAAMA has overcome the adverse impacts of the pandemic, and produced great results in theoretical research, academic exchanges, identification competitions and member activities. In particular, various member organizations have changed their thinking, innovated their working methods, and carried out online teacher training, teaching and research, competition Q&A activities, etc., opening up new channels for inheriting intangible cultural heritage of abacus and promoting the development of abacus and mental arithmetic.
Liu Jianhua stressed, looking forward to 2021, WAAMA would pursue steady progress in various work. The member organizations were required to attach great importance to and actively participate in the 3rd meeting of the 5th Standing Council of WAAMA, the 8th Abacus and Mental Arithmetic Competition of WAAMA, the 6th International Symposium on Abacus and Mental Arithmetic and other activities; further explore the intelligent-inspiring role of abacus and mental arithmetic education, adhere to the public welfare nature of abacus and mental arithmetic education, and better serve the quality improvement and long-term development of abacus learners around the world, while promoting the development of the world’s abacus and mental arithmetic cause. Liu Jianhua shared with members of the Council on the preparations for the “2nd Abacus and Mental Arithmetic Development High-level Forum” and “Rural Revitalization Public Welfare Campaign for Chinese Abacus Intangible Cultural Heritage” organized by CAMAA, and welcomed the member organizations to actively engage in and make close communication on abacus and mental arithmetic, in support of more extensive experience exchange and sharing.
Chairwoman Liu Jianhua put forward four requirements for the development of the abacus and mental arithmetic endeavor worldwide: first, WAAMA shall strengthen organizational construction, improve service quality, and continuously expand the scope of its activities; second, the development of the global abacus and mental arithmetic business shall adhere to both “quality” and “quantity”, stick to the core of inspiring intelligence, further improve the quality of teaching, and expand the scope of popularization; third, WAAMA shall give full play to the leading role of academic research in its development, and organize various academic seminars to contribute to its scientific development; fourth, WAAMA shall work hard to promote international exchanges and cooperation, promote “experience sharing, information sharing, and joint organization of activities” among member organizations, and work together to open a new chapter in the global development of abacus and mental arithmetic.
The meeting approved upon deliberation the application of Russian AMMA School for joining WAAMA as a non-governing member organization; and the pilot program of WAAMA’s new-edition abacus and mental arithmetic grade identification certificate; studied the holding of the 3rd meeting of the 5th Standing Council of WAAMA and the 8th Abacus and Mental Arithmetic Competition to be held in South Korea in 2021, and initially decided that the council meeting and the competition would be held online.