By Thapelo Molefe
Mathematics is not just a school subject. It is an engine that drives innovation, problem solving and national development, according to Higher Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane.
Speaking at the Mathematics Education Conference this week at the University of the Western Cape, the minister described maths as the invisible engine powering visible progress.
The five-day conference, known as the Mega Maths Festival, is the first of its kind international gathering co-hosted by the Department of Higher Education and Training, UWC and the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) South Africa.
Over 500 participants, from global experts and researchers to teachers, students and industry leaders, have come together to tackle the deep challenges facing mathematics education in the country.
Nkabane praised the collaborative spirit of the festival, especially its focus on improving teacher training and foundational learning for rural and township schools.
“I am encouraged that rural and urban teachers, lecturers, learners, students, supported by universities, academia, researchers, NGOs and industry, have been placed in the centre of this festival’s programme,” she said.
The minister highlighted worrying trends in maths education, including South Africa’s persistent underperformance in international assessments and the growing preference for mathematical literacy over pure mathematics in schools.
“Indeed, we must reverse the upsurge in mathematical literacy, which we know does not assist in tertiary education enrolments in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM),” Nkabane said.
“We need to increase uptake and participation in pure mathematics from schooling to post-school education and training and through to the world of work.”
She called for a shift in the way maths was viewed and taught, saying it should be seen as a universal language and an essential tool for growth.
“I am pleased that you are advocating for mathematics to be our 13th language in South Africa,” she said.
“Allowing for inclusion rather than exclusion, because mathematics is after all a universal language understood in every country.”
She said mathematics opened doors to critical fields such as artificial intelligence, data analytics, financial modelling and energy.
“Mathematics is a gateway to many professions. It is important that our learners are advised about all the diverse options mathematics introduces,” Nkabane noted.
The conference featured keynote lectures, panel discussions, poster presentations and cultural events aimed at reshaping the way mathematics was taught and applied.
Delegates explored a range of topics, including AI, data analytics, teacher education and the role of mathematics in employment and the economy.
“I am inspired that this inaugural Mega Maths Festival has come to embrace the intersection between research in mathematics education and mathematical sciences and teaching in mathematics and mathematical sciences as a means of addressing our national priorities, including economic development and growth, and problem-solving for solutions to contemporary problems of water, sanitation, energy and climate change,” Nkabane said.
Following the opening ceremony, the minister led a walkabout of UWC’s newly upgraded facility dedicated to mathematics and early childhood education.
The centre is designed to strengthen foundational maths learning, with a focus on improving outcomes for young learners in disadvantaged communities.
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