Singapore Math Kangaroo Contest (SMKC) — Parent & Student Guide
Download printable cheat-sheet (CC-BY 4.0)05 Aug 2025, 00:00 Z
TL;DR
SMKC has run in Singapore since 2013 and now draws >10 000 pupils a year from P1 to JC2. The paper has no negative marking, and from 2024 tie-breakers were scrapped — only raw score determines rank. Medals go to roughly top 8 % (Gold), next 12 % (Silver) and next 20 % (Bronze). A Gold or Silver certificate is a credible data-point for DSA-Sec STEM domains and early IP talent files.
1 Global snapshot — what is Math Kangaroo?
- Originated in Australia in 1991 to honour teacher Peter O'Halloran.
- Adopted by France in 1995; today it unites 80+ countries and ≈6 million contestants annually.
- International Association AKSF standardises 24 or 30 multiple-choice questions, each worth 3, 4 or 5 points, for a maximum 120 (upper levels) or 90 (lower levels).
2 How SMKC is structured
| SMKC Grade | Singapore school level | No. of questions | Duration | Max score |
| 1 & 2 | P1-P2 | 24 | 60 min | 90 |
| 3 & 4 | P3-P4 | 24 | 60 min | 90 |
| 5 & 6 | P5-P6 | 30 | 75 min | 120 |
| 7 & 8 | Sec 1-Sec 2 (IP Year 1-2) | 30 | 75 min | 120 |
| 9 & 10 | Sec 3-Sec 4 (IP Year 3-4) | 30 | 75 min | 120 |
| 11 & 12 | JC 1-JC 2 or IB DP Yr 5-6 | 30 | 75 min | 120 |
All papers use 5-option MCQ and no marks are deducted for wrong answers.
Levels are named after US grade numbers; check the mapping above when signing up.
3 Registration & key dates
| Phase | Typical window (2025) | Action |
| Early-bird sign-up | 05 Jan - 15 Feb | Online at SIMCC portal (≈ SGD 28) |
| Regular sign-up | 16 Feb - 15 Mar | Fee rises (≈ SGD 35) |
| Contest day | Sat 29 Mar | Sit at authorised centres / schools |
| Results release | Late May | E-certificates + percentile |
| Prize ceremony | Mid Jun | Hybrid or physical, venue TBC |
Schools may bulk-register; check with Math HOD before paying individually.
4 Scoring, ranking & medals
4.1 Raw-score only
Since 2024 SMKC removed tie-break rules; contestants with equal points share the same rank.
4.2 Medal cut-off percentiles*
- Gold - top (8\space\%)
- Silver - next (12\space\%)
- Bronze - next (20\space\%)
\[ \text{Medal band width} = 40 \space \% (8+12+20) \space \text{of cohort} \]
*Exact borders can shift by ±1 % if two pupils straddle a boundary.
4.3 Certificates & further awards
All participants receive a certificate of Participation or Achievement; top Gold winners may be invited to SIMCC's Global Finals or STEAM AHEAD camps.
5 Why SMKC matters for IP & DSA
- DSA-Sec STEM domain — Gold or Silver strengthens the “Mathematical Thinking” portfolio for schools like NUS High, RI or Hwa Chong.
- Early proof of problem-solving — questions emphasise reasoning, not syllabus grinding, mirroring IP exam style.
- Bridges to higher contests — strong SMKC scorers often progress to SASMO, SIMOC and NMOS.
6 Three smart prep moves
- Micro-set drill — attempt \(4\) past-year Qs daily; mark immediately to reinforce heuristics.
- Error journal — write the wrong path and the fix; pattern-spot your own blind spots.
- Speed-then-slow — first pass: answer sure-things in \(<40 \space \pu{s}\) each; second pass: deep-think the rest.
7 Further reading
8 Call-to-action
Parents: register during the early-bird window to save fees and secure preferred venue.
Students: download two past-year sets and start the micro-set drill tonight — ten minutes pays dividends in March.
Last updated 05 Aug 2025 — will refresh when SIMCC publishes the 2026 regulations.
