Van Student Shines at the 2026 Global Math Olympiad in Turkey

Details of Bilal Bakır's Stunning International Victory In an unprecedented achievement for Turkey's scientific and educational community, Bilal Bakır, a student at Van Gölü Primary School in the İpekyolu district of Van, shone at the 2026 Kangaroo Global Math Olympiad. This major competition, held with more than 7 million students from 114 countries, is considered one of the most prestigious school-level mathematics exams in the world [1]. By answering all test questions correctly, Bilal Bakır achieved a perfect score and was recognized as the world champion in his age category [2].

This success is a great honor not only for the city of Van but for the entire country of Turkey. Due to this exceptional achievement, Bilal was invited as a special guest to the awards ceremony held in late June to receive his gold medal [1].

The Key Role of Education and a Dedicated Teacher's Efforts Behind this great success lies the meticulous planning and round-the-clock efforts of a teacher named Bedirhan Kurt. Mr. Kurt, who began his work at this school about eight months ago, prepared an intensive and voluntary program for his students. He practiced with the students even on holidays and weekends to prepare them for international competition [2].

Bedirhan Kurt previously had a brilliant record in the cities of Hakkari and Istanbul, nurturing elite students for national and international competitions. In an interview, he stated that his goal with these efforts was to prove that with the right guidance, students from any region can reach global heights [1][3].

Team Brilliance of Van Students in Global Rankings Although Bilal Bakır topped the news by ranking first in the world, he was not the only successful student from this school. In fact, Van Gölü Primary School witnessed a stunning team success. According to the final results announced, several other students from this school also achieved brilliant rankings among millions of participants: - İremsu Işık: 31st in the world - Nehir Karaman, Hoydar Bakır, and Meryem Zühre Turhan: Tied for 33rd in the world - Argeş Elçi Aslan: 120th in the world - Eslem Aykut: 142nd in the world - Hamza Bağış: 200th in the world [1][2].

These results demonstrate the high level of preparation of students in this region and the high educational potential in eastern Turkey, which has come to fruition with proper management.

Reflections of This Success in Van and Turkey The news of Bilal Bakır's championship in local and national Turkish media has sparked a wave of joy and pride in the city of Van. The newspaper "Bölge Gazetesi Van" covered this news extensively, describing it as a turning point in the city's educational history [3]. Bilal Bakır, expressing gratitude to his teacher, said: "Our teacher worked with us with great dedication for months. I came first by answering all the questions, and I owe this success to his efforts" [1]. This achievement has once again brought the importance of investing in young talent in various regions to the top of Turkey's educational agenda.