(KUALA LUMPUR/JAPAN) 29 March 2019 – Aiming to increase Malaysian students’ interest in mathematics, multiple award-winning edtech company from Japan, ‘SoroTouch’, has launched its first mental calculation brand in Malaysia.

Its first centre to be based in Kuala Lumpur started with a collaboration with one of Malaysia’s own leading mental arithmetic expert, West Wong who has been dubbed by the local media as ‘The Human Calculator’. He achieved World No.3 in the category Flash Anzan in Memoriad 2012 at Antalya, Turkey. He was the first Malaysian to compete in World Mental Olympics (MEMORIAD) and brought back the first medal for Malaysia.

West Wong (left) shaking hands with Yasunobu Hashimoto at the Iidabashi SoroTouch Center

“Our vision is to empower and create world class intelligence. With ‘SoroTouch’ being the world’s leading edtech in mental calculation, we can empower Malaysian kids by the power of technology. We are really excited to make this happen in Malaysia,” said Wong.

Since its establishment in Japan in 2008, SoroTouch has helped thousands of students to overcome their fear of numbers and excel in mathematics via a specially developed method. It is the result of a collaboration between its founder Chika Yamauchi and parents and guardians of their own students who contributed input and ideas for the method.

A child looking at the flags he collected. Can you spot Malaysia?

According to Yasunobu Hashimoto, President of Digika Co., Ltd. Japan, the company behind ‘SoroTouch’ Center Service, the key to an effective teaching method is to keep the students’ motivation high and ensure the consistency of their progress, which is the biggest challenge. By solving the problem of fear of numbers from the foundation age i.e. between five and eight, children will be encouraged to develop an interest towards STEM from a very young age.

“Our vision is to have ‘SoroTouch’ support children to obtain the world’s fastest mental calculation ability with the world’s most efficient way and enable them to gain confidence in numbers, which is the only common language in the world. With Malaysia being the great mecca of mental calculation, I know we can achieve it!” said Yasunobu.

Digika Co., Ltd. has chosen Malaysia as its next destination outside of Japan in efforts to expand its business and services in making learning mathematics fun and appealing via mental calculation. Prior to this, Digika Co., Ltd. has successfully launched ‘SoroTouch’ Center Service in the United States of America and Hong Kong, with over 60 centres in the respective countries.

A day in class at SoroTouch Center

Speaking on the method’s efficiency, ‘SoroTouch’ encompasses the unique advantage of combining ancient abacus technology with the innovation of iPad and digital software. Students meet once a week, followed by setting aside a few minutes a day to complete a task in order to master the mental calculation technique. Generally, a student can master mental calculation between six months and two years of classes. The same learning technique applies in all four countries, only the language is localised.

Wong believed that the method used in ‘SoroTouch’ can help create interest in mathematics among students in Malaysia, besides addressing the Ministry of Education Malaysia’s concern on the declining number of students taking Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects each year. It is estimated that at least 6,000 students dropped out of the STEM stream – in 2018 it was reported that only 44% of students remain in the STEM stream, as compared to 48% in 2012.

Digika Co., Ltd. Japan is also looking at potential partners throughout Malaysia, focusing on major cities including Penang, Johor Bahru, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu. Currently, Kuala Lumpur is the main hub for ‘SoroTouch’ in the Southeast Asian region.