4 minute read
The Math Wiz Who Made Maranaos Proud
by Warlou Joyce Antonio
Sometimes you discover pockets of hope in the most unlikely places. In the case of 12-year-old Mohammad Nur Casib from Marawi City, he found it in his love for numbers and his victory in the nationwide math tilt, Metrobank-MTAP-DepEd Math Challenge or MMC.
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On May 30, 2019, this mathlete, fondly called by his family and peers as Iman, penned a story of hope for Maranaos by representing his hometown in the nationwide competition and emerging as this year’s grand winner – the first ever to do so. He took home the first place title in the Grade 6 Individual Competition category.
Iman’s win is also a story about resilience. Marawi City’s recent history has been shadowed by bouts of conflict. Little did we know that amidst all this was a kid who harbored his dream to compete in the national level and put his region on the map of MMC.
This young math genius showed that the siege did not deter him from his quest but further fueled him to persevere.
World of numbers
Ever since he could remember, Iman found comfort in numbers. His love for this language is one that his parents noticed from the get-go. “My parents used to tell me that when I was a toddler, I already knew basic counting from one to ten, and I was fascinated with any toys with numbers,” he shared.
He became drawn to numbers at an early age and he credits one figure in his life for introducing this world to him. “Most of the time I was with my ‘ate’, and she’d always know how to pacify me with a calculator. She would ask me to press simple numbers, add them, and guess the answer, and I would be amazed every time the answers popped out of the screen. I called her ate Dindin and she was the one who unlocked my interest and reception to numbers and basic arithmetic.”
Now on his 6th grade, this interest has never waned – in fact, it has deepened over the years. However, his young age did not hinder him from observing the lack of platforms available in their region for kids like him to pursue this passion. He did not let this undermine his resolve. Thanks to his parents, his support system and biggest cheerleaders, who nurtured his potential, he actively sought opportunities when there was not any at hand.
A surprising turn of fate
May 2017 marked an episode that changed the life of Iman and the people in the Bangsamoro region. The Marawi siege displaced families and spread fear among their land. Uprooted, Iman’s family took refuge in Cagayan de Oro City. “Young as I was, I felt the deep pain and anger of leaving our home with all our belongings behind,” he recalled.
It was then that fate decided to intervene. His parents enrolled him and his siblings to YAHSHUA Intelex, an after-school training center that specializes in mathematics and music. This not only served as a method of healing but rekindled his first love.
The institution opened doors of opportunities for him by introducing him to the Mathematics Trainers Guild Philippines (MTG) and MMC. Joining MTG as well as rounds of training sessions under the tutelage of his coach prepared him for his journey to the MMC grand finals.
Elusive dream no more
Iman’s dream for his region inspired him to join the MMC. “To bring the banner of the Bangsamoro region to the competition is my ultimate goal,” he expressed. Pursuing this track, though, was not without ordeals – which Iman faced resolutely. His seemingly elusive dream became within arm’s reach when he won in the Regional Finals and qualified for the National Finals.
“We [the winners from the region] dedicate our triumph to the Maranaos and we hope in our own little way, this would help them momentarily forget the grief and hopelessness in their heart,” he said.
Then the day of the championship came. Participants and spectators alike bore witness to Iman’s triumph. His parents beamed with pride and glee seeing their son onstage achieving a feat that’s a first for their region.
“I told my kid from the outset, ‘if you are destined to reach this, you will’. He’s been through a lot but he was able to achieve his dream. It was hard. I’m not talking only about our family, but the entire plight of our people,” Iman’s dad shared.
When asked where he draws his strength from, the young math wizard was quick to reply with the adage, “in every adversity lies an opportunity”. Proving to be wise beyond his years, he aims to communicate to his peers that opportunities arise when you pursue what you love, even when odds are stacked against you. It’s the kind of radical hope that has served him well.
Iman may have carved a name for himself in MMC but his dream doesn’t end here. He aspires to see a country that invests in the potential of mathematics and supports mathletes like him, especially those with limited capacity to do so. He believes that a platform like MMC is best equipped to translate this ambition to reality.
He has this to say, “I hope in the future, this Math Challenge will reach allfar-flung places in our country. Who knows, an extremely brilliant kid is just out there waiting for an opportunity.”
