Earlier this week a Swedish non-profit organisation called Mattecentrum, alongside En Bra Start, set an inspiring new Guinness World Records title for hosting the Largest maths class ever in Gavlerinken in Gävle, Sweden, recording an impressive turnout of 3,611.
Mattecentrum, which offers free tutoring session for kids and runs an online textbook, organised the attempt to raise awareness for the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, specifically, a child’s right to equal education.
During the record-breaking lesson teachers gave insightful demonstrations on how to solve a variety of maths problems to the enormous group of 9-12 year olds.
Following the Guinness World Records guidelines, the students in the class had to take a test at the end of the lesson to ensure the full participation of everyone involved, although students did not have to pass the test in order to be counted in the final total.
Once the class was dismissed, official Guinness World Records adjudicator Jack Brockbank counted and verified the record before announcing that the previous total, achieved by Super Bimbel GSC (Indonesia) in May this year, was broken by a staggering 706 participants.
General Secretary of Mattecentrum, Karolina Lisslö said: “We are delighted that Swedish students have achieved a world record in mathematics. This is a step towards inspiring students that mathematics is both fun and useful. We know that the students have the will to study mathematics and we will continue to work hard to create the best possible conditions so that Swedish students’ knowledge of and confidence in mathematics increases.”
The Prime Minister of Sweden, Stefan Löfven, also spoke of the children’s achievement: “You made Sweden proud by breaking this Guinness World Records title today”.