Mawhiba Announces the Qualification of (9945) Students to the Third Stage of NSMO

King Abdulaziz and his Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba) has announced the qualification of (9,945) students for the Third Stage of the inaugural edition of NSMO. Organized in strategic partnership with the Ministry of Education, this advancement follows the students' successful completion of the Second Stage competitions, which were held from April 04 to 09, 2026.

Mawhiba stated that (19,489) students sat for the Second Stage examinations, with (9,945) qualifying from (16) educational regions, in addition to the General Directorates of Education at the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu. The qualifiers are distributed across the six disciplines as follows: (2,690) in Mathematics, (1,950) in Informatics, (1,355) in Biology, (1,341) in Physics, (1,308) in General Science, and (1,301) in Chemistry.

At the educational region level, the qualifiers include (1,222) students from the General Directorate of Education in Riyadh, (1,131) from Jeddah, (1,093) from the Eastern Province, (775) from Asir, (693) from Madinah, (667) from Al-Ahsa, (645) from Makkah, (623) from Qassim, (500) from Taif, (443) from Jazan, (372) from Najran, (360) from Hail, (353) from Tabuk, (333) from Al-Jouf, (314) from Al-Baha, and (242) from the Northern Borders. Furthermore, the count includes (71) qualifiers from the Royal Commission for Jubail and (55) from the Royal Commission for Yanbu.

The Third Stage of NSMO is scheduled to take place from April 25 to 30, 2026. During this stage, students will compete to represent their respective regional educational teams. The stage commences with in-person training across (16) education directorates, conducted by (528) pre-qualified teachers, and will conclude with an in-person examination.

NSMO is the premier and largest annual national competition specializing in Science and Mathematics, targeting students from Grade (7) through Grade (10). The competition unfolds through progressive stages, beginning at the school level and advancing through cities and governorates, culminating in the national team competition for education directorates and the Olympiad finals in Riyadh. This structured path is dedicated to identifying and fostering gifted students, ensuring their readiness for elite competition in international scientific Olympiads.

The Kingdom, represented by Mawhiba, participates annually in approximately (30) international and regional Olympiads held across the globe, featuring thousands of students from over (120) countries. This engagement is part of the Mawhiba International Olympiad Program, which provides a comprehensive training path dedicated to building students’ capacities across various levels, thereby contributing to their advanced scientific and methodological preparation.

NSMO aims at expanding the scope of identifying and fostering gifted students within general education, localizing training in Olympiad sciences within education directorates, and increasing the number of beneficiaries of specialized programs. It also seeks to nurture scientific interests, enhance teacher performance, and enrich curricula with challenges that develop higher-order thinking skills, thereby bolstering students' readiness for global competition.

In its inaugural edition, NSMO recorded the participation of (99,179) students, representing (8,356) schools across (47) cities and governorates within (16) educational regions, supervised by approximately (800) teachers. This remarkable turnout reflected the broad base of participation and the profound scientific ambition thriving among students.

NSMO embodies the fruitful collaboration between Mawhiba and the Ministry of Education. This partnership stems from a shared belief in the significance of expanding participation in Olympiad sciences, deepening its impact within the educational field, and strengthening the integration of national efforts to elevate the presence of Saudi students in global scientific forums.