Entries open for math Olympiad for teachers
Entries are now open for the 1st OBMEP Mirim Teachers’ Olympiad, an unprecedented initiative by the Institute of Pure and Applied Mathematics (IMPA) aimed at teachers from the 1st to the 5th year of elementary school. The competition aims to strengthen mathematics education and enhance the teaching of the subject in the early years of basic education. The deadline is May 29, and applications can be submitted via the website.
Promoted in partnership with B3 Social and with academic support from the National Association of Mathematics Teachers in Basic Education (ANPMat), the Olympiad expands IMPA’s actions to stimulate mathematics learning in schools, which also include the OBMEP (Brazilian Public School Mathematics Olympiad), aimed at students from the 6th year of elementary school to the 3rd year of secondary school, and the OBMEP Mirim, aimed at students from the 2nd to the 5th year.
For Marcelo Viana, director-general of IMPA, the initiative gives teachers, especially those in the early years, the leading role they deserve in Brazilian education. “I’m sure it will do a lot to spread the love of math among our teachers,” he says.
Nancy Rosa, a teacher who teaches at the Capistrano de Abreu Municipal School in the south of Rio de Janeiro, plans to take part in the Olympics. “I think the Olympiad is an initiative that will serve as a stimulus for many teachers. Last year, I took part in a training course for OBMEP Mirim teachers and my mind expanded. I saw that it was possible to work on logical reasoning and arrive at results in different ways,” she says.
Teachers with active enrollment in public (municipal, state or federal) or private schools throughout Brazil who teach in the early years of elementary school can participate. Registration is free for public school teachers and costs R$45 for private school teachers.
According to Fabiana Prianti, head of B3 Social, the private social investment arm of the Brazilian stock exchange, the initiative reinforces the transformative role of education. “Supporting initiatives aimed at teaching mathematics is fundamental, as this knowledge is a powerful tool for reducing social inequalities and preparing people to face economic challenges. It is through education that we can transform realities, expand opportunities and build a fairer future.”
ANPMat president Sumaia Almeida Ramos, who is responsible for providing academic support for the competition, highlights the importance of teachers’ participation. “This first Olympiad was born out of the recognition that early years teachers play a decisive role in building the foundations of students’ mathematical thinking. Our hope is that the initiative will help strengthen teachers’ professional identity, inspire innovative practices in the classroom and foster a culture of valuing math teaching from the earliest years of school.”
How the Olympiad works
The exam will be held in a single phase on October 17, 2026, at 2:30 p.m. (Brasília time), in test centers across the country. Participants will have three hours to solve the questions.
The scores will be published on December 1, 2026, in the participant’s restricted area, and the list of winners will be published on December 15.
In all, 25 gold medals, 50 silver medals, 100 bronze medals and 500 honorable mentions will be awarded. All the medal winners will take part in a mathematics training course for elementary school teachers offered by IMPA. The gold medalists will also be able to take part in face-to-face activities in Rio de Janeiro, with expenses covered by the institute.
After the training, the gold medalists will be able to submit pedagogical projects for application in the classroom. The selected projects will receive a grant of R$700 for four months for implementation.