Ouagadougou: Nine girls who excelled in the 4th edition of the national competition 'Mathematical Elites', organized by the Maison Arc-en-ciel association, were honored with school scholarships, tablets, and laptops during an awards ceremony in Ouagadougou.According to Burkina Information Agency, the nine winners were recognized in three categories: primary, post-primary, and secondary, with three girls rewarded in each category. The competition required candidates to achieve a science average of at least 16/20 in primary school, 15/20 in post-primary school, and 14/20 in secondary school during the first two terms of the school year.In the primary category, Emmy Alexane Dborah Traor from La Source du Kadiogo topped the list with a "good" grade. She was followed by Imelda Yiwogina Bationo from Sainte-Thrèse de Banfora, who received a "fairly good" grade, and Honnadia GrSce Fabiola Sanon from Notre-Dame de l'Annonciation in Cissin, Kadiogo, who secured third place with a "passable" grade.Hope Dborah To f rom Sainte-Marie high school in Marcoussis, Kadiogo, claimed first place in the post-primary category with honors. Flore Vinibwo Coulibaly from Saint-Jean-Baptiste de La Salle College in Kadiogo also received honors, while Ulie Benicia Jokebed Bonkoungou from Saint-Gabriel high school in Manga finished third with a high pass.In the secondary school category, the top three spots were all occupied by students from the National Science High School of Ouagadougou. Tinbnoma Pascaline Oudraogo took first place with honors, followed by Atèwè Farida Tietiambou, who also attained honors, and lodie Leticia Nongabamba Sawadogo, who achieved a passing grade.The exams were conducted on May 31, 2026, across nine centers in Burkina Faso, including Ouagadougou, Bobo-Dioulasso, and Koudougou, among others, with 261 candidates from 113 schools in 13 regions participating.Harouna Derra, national coordinator of the Maison Arc-en-ciel association, stated that the competition aims to inspire young girls to engage more with s cientific and technological subjects. He highlighted the growing interest from students and expressed a desire to expand the competition to all 17 regions of Burkina Faso in future editions.Dr. Boukari Nebi, representative of the Minister of Secondary Education, Vocational and Technical Training, praised the initiative, noting its alignment with national policies to promote scientific and technical education. He emphasized that the competition's rigorous selection process demonstrates that mathematics is accessible to all who apply themselves.The event concluded with the association expressing gratitude to its partners, including the People's Legislative Assembly and the NGO Afrique et Savoirs, under the theme "Academic Excellence and Sovereignty".