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Date :2021-04-04

The National Program for Gifted Identification Announces the Results of 24,000 Students

The King Abdulaziz and his Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity "Mawhiba" announced the results of the National Program for Gifted Identification in its eleventh year, in which more than 24,000 students from various regions of the Kingdom had registered.
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Student had taken the ​Mawhiba Multiple Cognitive Aptitude Test (MMCA Test) as a part of the National Program for Gifted Identification, which is run annually by Mawhiba in a strategic partnership with the Ministry of Education and the Education & Training Evaluation Commission represented by the National Center for Assessment.
 
An official statement issued by “Mawhiba” stated that the number of students who were identified for giftedness to participate and be nurtured in Mawhiba’s programs and services in the coming years exceeded 11,000 students. The students are nominated for programs and services provided by “Mawhiba” Foundation, the Ministry of Education, and the bodies supporting the gifted students according to the standards and requirements of the programs.
 
It is worth noting that the Test had an option to be taken remotely this year. This enabled many students, whose homes are a way from the computerized test centers, or who are prevented from going to these centers due to the pandemic, to participate. As a result, more than 4000 students took the MMCA Test, i.e. 20% of the total students. This year, the percentage of participating male students was 45%, and it 55% for the female students.
 
The percentage of students who took the Test in the First Level, which includes grades (three, four and five) is 28% this year, 34% for the Second Level (sixth, seventh and eighth grade), and it is 38% in the Third Level, which includes grades (ninth, tenth and eleven) of the total students who took the scale.
 
The percentage of Saudi students who underwent the Test was 96.5% and 3.5% for non-Saudi students. The number of students who took it in Arabic is 93%, and 7% in English.
 
The MMCA Test is regularly and methodically updated and developed. As it is a global measurement dedicated to detect multiple cognitive abilities.
 
Since its inception, "Mawhiba" has invested in building curricula in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and other fields in all academic stages through international expert institutions, such as the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) in America and the Nord Anglia Center in the United Kingdom. In addition, there are specialized programs to hone the gifted students’ skills in scientific research, the English language and the basic requirements for admission to prestigious international universities. ​

 
All students can enroll at open programs and competitions even if they do not achieve the required scores at Mawhiba’s Test; such as: Kangaroo Mawhiba, Bebras Mawhiba, Mawhiba International Olympiad (Mawhoob competition) and the National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity. These programs are offered throughout the year and enable the students to get access to many services and global participations.
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The MMCA Test is regarded as the first stage of the gifted student’s journey and the gateway to most Mawhiba’s services and programs. It includes several curricula such as scientific reasoning, mechanical reasoning, mathematical, and spatial reasoning, linguistic reasoning, reading comprehension, and mental flexibility. It is taught according to international standards, and is provided in Arabic and English through more than 100 computerized test centers for students targeted from the third grade to first secondary school.

 
The number of students who took the Test over 11 years is more than 430,000, and more than 144,000 of them were identified as gifted.  The first phase of the National Program for Gifted Identification was in 2011, and it included 16 directorates of education. The second phase was in 2012, and it included 29 directorates of education. The third phase was in 2013, and it included the remaining directorates of educations provinces, so the total educational provinces covered in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was 47.