Durban - Nine South African pupils are proving that numbers don’t lie.
Their calculations have led them to national selection and the chance to compete globally to see who the best maths whizz is.
Some have already made their mark at this month’s Pan-African Mathematics Olympiad (Pamo) in Rwanda, where South Africa was named the third best-performing country behind north African nations Algeria and Morocco.
The South African Mathematics Foundation (SAMF) announced who will represent South Africa in the upcoming International Mathematics Olympiad.
The Olympiad will be held in Japan from July 2 to July 13. From the team who starred in Rwanda, Redhill School’s (Sandton) Yian Xu, The Settlers High School’s (Cape Town) Moied Baleg (both in Grade 10) and Hoër Jongenskool Paarl’s (Paarl) Grade 12 Hugo Bruwer were selected for the global showdown.
The other pupils on the Pamo team were Westerford High School (Cape Town) duo Eli Williams and Ellen Grant-Smith (Grades 9 and 10 respectively); and Jim Fouché Hoërskool (Bloemfontein) Grade 11 Jana Rossouw.
Others who will join the Olympiad team in Japan are: Parel Vallei High School’s (Cape Town) Grade 12 Jared Slater, and Reddam House Durbanville (Cape Town) duo Youkyum Kim and Minkyum Kim (Grades 10 and 12 respectively).
SAMF executive director Professor Kerstin Jordaan said that despite the country’s low maths pass rate and challenges, she was proud of these individuals.
“Last year only 2.7% of pupils who wrote the National Senior Certificate achieved a distinction in mathematics. Despite these systemic problems, we are collaborating with the government and our funders to be more strategic in identifying and developing mathematically talented youngsters,” she said.
Emeritus Professor of Mathematics at UKZN, mathematics Olympiad coach and organiser, Professor Poobhalan Pillay, said he had been preparing them for many years, even during the Covid-19 period. He said the Department of Science and Innovation had paused the funding for this year, causing them to miss the first round of the SA Mathematics Olympiad this year.
“I am national co-ordinator for Siyanqoba, a project administered by the SA Mathematics Foundation. Before Covid-19, there were nine training centres around the country, all based at universities, UKZN included. In the past two years, I have been training pupils from around the country via Zoom,” said Pillay.
He commented on why the pass rate in the country was low and how the system could improve.
”Increase teacher competence at primary school. Most pupils are totally unprepared in basic mathematical skills, even in Grade 8. Current primary school mathematics needs to undergo rigorous teacher training programmes. Teacher training colleges must come back.
“Currently, teacher trainees are being trained at universities. Here, they get instruction that has little to do with what they need in the classroom. Primary school teachers need to get into a full-time programme for at least a year. Import teachers from successful countries like India and Cuba while local teachers are in training. If the Department of Education does these things, be assured that Grade 12 mathematics results will improve drastically in 10 years’ time.”
The Independent on Saturday