PAMA Global Abacus and Mental Arithmetic Association Membership Requirements
(1) Only companies that are at least FIVE years old and have at least 300 students are eligible for membership. The companies must have legal business licenses in their residing countries
(2) The membership period is from January 1 and ends on December 31. New members that join in between this period will pay an annual membership fee based on the number of months remaining in the period.
(3) The membership certificate is renewed every year. It will be presented to members during every year’s PAMA Competition.
(4) Complete payment for a one-time $2,000 US of Membership Admission Fee. The annual membership fee is $1,000 US every year, starting in the first year.
(5) PAMA members are required to participate in PAMA’s Certification Exam System. Each member is required to have at least 500 exams every year. Abacus and Mental Arithmetic Exams are separate categories and both count toward the exam requirement.
(6) All member countries will receive a 200 certification exam quota every year. Abacus exam and mental arithmetic are two separate categories, and both count toward the quota. PAMA will charge $3 for every extra certificate. Members are required to have at least 500 exams each year. If a member fails to meet the 500 exams requirement (minus the 200 free exams), the Secretariat will charge $1 for each deficit.
(7) If a member has more than 500 exams in a given year (not including the free exams), they will enjoy a 50% discount on the annual membership fee that year. If a member has more than 1,000 exams in a given year (not including the free exams), it will receive a 100% discount on its annual membership fee that year.
Example: 700 exams in a year, the membership fee will be: (700 – 200 free exams) = 500 actual exams
$3 x 500 exams = $1,500 USD (certificate exam fee)
$1500 USD + $500 USD (annual membership discount) = $2,000 USD (actual payable amount for that year)
(8) Each member country can either have the chairman act as the professional trainer or assign one staff member for the role. This candidate must complete the full training program with the Secretariat and pass the associated exam to receive the three-star instructor certificate.
(9) Members can charge registration fees for certification exams, creating another revenue stream. Members only need to submit the aforementioned fees to PAMA Secretariat and keep the rest.
(10) All the instructors from our member companies can attend SAMA’s Online Symposium for free.
(11) Members can send exceptional students to SAMA’s International Competition (hosted in a different country every year).
(12) Several other services are also available (additional fees apply): professional instructor training (for various skill levels), professional instructor certificates, learning materials (65 books in total), professional instruction videos (30 videos in total).
(13) The membership admission fee and annual fee are not refundable under any circumstance.