Date: 22/06/2005
Source: Department of Science and Technology
Title: Mangena: International Commission on Mathematics Instruction Congress
Opening address by the honourable Minister of Science and Technology, Mosibudi Mangena, at the opening session of the International Commission on Mathematics Instruction Congress at the University of the Witwatersrand; Johannesburg, 22 – 25 June
The President of ICMI, Prof Hyman Bass
The Deputy Vice Chancellor of Wits, Prof Phandwa Mthembu
The Head of School of Education
Prof Mary Metcalf
International and Regional representatives
Ladies and Gentlemen
This international gathering, which has come to share experiences and expertise in mathematics and mathematical teaching on our home soil, is a very important occasion to us as a country. It is a mark of the progress we are making in strengthening the efforts to build partnerships for Africa’s renewal and development. A large representation of mathematicians and mathematics educators from many African countries accords a special dimension and significance to this first African congress of the International Commission on Mathematics Instruction. Mathematics always played a decisive role in the development and globalisation of the world.
South Africa has made great strides in setting up institutions to address the needs of both mathematicians and mathematics educators. The organisations serving the needs of these two constituencies are the Association of Mathematics Educators of South Africa (AMESA) and the South African Mathematics Society (SAMS). The two organisations are part of the umbrella body, the South African Mathematics Foundation. This unified approach to organise mathematics practitioners is remarkable development from the different racially-based mathematics formations that existed in the previous political dispensation.
We would like to see the International Mathematics Union of which the International Commission on Mathematics Instruction is part grow from strength to strength. We also want to see more active and meaningful participation of African countries in this Union. Such co-operation and inclusion in international bodies will go a long way towards promoting and making mathematics relevant to our daily lives.
The location of this ICMI congress in Africa is significant given the crucial role of mathematics as the basic science for scientific and technological developments, which contribute significantly to innovations impacting positively to socio-economic development. There is also a forceful movement world-wide towards increasing mathematical literacy with the aim of producing future generations of scientists. This is to be welcomed as no individual’s life is unaffected by numbers, numerically based arguments, and the need to make decisions based on information represented by words, graphs, tables, formulae and equations. Mathematical literacy is critical in promoting a democratic culture, while mathematics is important for a wide range of careers that are crucial to the economy and nation building.
South Africa has taken a policy decision to ensure a future citizenry that is mathematically literate by introducing policies that make mathematics a compulsory subject up to matriculation. This has put new and daunting challenges to our education system. We now need to train and retain sufficient numbers of mathematics graduates, and recruit many of them into the teaching profession. I am glad that the focus of this conference is on the teaching and learning of mathematics.
Regional co-operation, communication and development across Africa form a critical part of the well-being of our continent and its peoples. The development of Africa is to a large degree dependent on the strengthening of our S&T system, which is grounded on developments made by mathematicians. Without proper mathematics teaching and learning in our schools, Africa’s socio-economic development is unlikely to be realised soon. This First Africa Regional Congress of the ICMI gives us hope that mathematics and mathematics education will be enhanced in ways that are aligned to broader goals for improved socio-development of our continent.
The participation and support of international experts have the possibility of enhancing the capacity of African intellectuals to influence developments targeted at improving the lives of the peoples of this continent. As geographical boundaries dissolve and technologies increase possibilities for interaction, our education systems become increasingly diversified, thus creating significant challenges for the teaching and learning of mathematics, among other subjects. As communities that work with multiple languages and limited resources, we have much to offer regarding creative ways of doing more with less.
The Department of Science and Technology is currently involved in developing a curriculum support programme whose constituent part includes In-Service Training to improve educators’ skills and methods of teaching Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics in schools. We hope to acquire more insight and knowledge from this congress to guide these developments. Let us focus our attention more on our future citizens, the youth. Half the battle would have been won if your resolutions could include interventions that target the youth.
South Africa is privileged to be the host of this Congress. We hope that the outcomes will add real value to the countries of Africa. With these words, I wish this historic Congress success.
Thank you.
Issued by: Department of Science and Technology
Date: 22 June 2005
Source: Department of Science and Technology
Title: Mangena: International Commission on Mathematics Instruction Congress
Opening address by the honourable Minister of Science and Technology, Mosibudi Mangena, at the opening session of the International Commission on Mathematics Instruction Congress at the University of the Witwatersrand; Johannesburg, 22 – 25 June
The President of ICMI, Prof Hyman Bass
The Deputy Vice Chancellor of Wits, Prof Phandwa Mthembu
The Head of School of Education
Prof Mary Metcalf
International and Regional representatives
Ladies and Gentlemen
This international gathering, which has come to share experiences and expertise in mathematics and mathematical teaching on our home soil, is a very important occasion to us as a country. It is a mark of the progress we are making in strengthening the efforts to build partnerships for Africa’s renewal and development. A large representation of mathematicians and mathematics educators from many African countries accords a special dimension and significance to this first African congress of the International Commission on Mathematics Instruction. Mathematics always played a decisive role in the development and globalisation of the world.
South Africa has made great strides in setting up institutions to address the needs of both mathematicians and mathematics educators. The organisations serving the needs of these two constituencies are the Association of Mathematics Educators of South Africa (AMESA) and the South African Mathematics Society (SAMS). The two organisations are part of the umbrella body, the South African Mathematics Foundation. This unified approach to organise mathematics practitioners is remarkable development from the different racially-based mathematics formations that existed in the previous political dispensation.
We would like to see the International Mathematics Union of which the International Commission on Mathematics Instruction is part grow from strength to strength. We also want to see more active and meaningful participation of African countries in this Union. Such co-operation and inclusion in international bodies will go a long way towards promoting and making mathematics relevant to our daily lives.
The location of this ICMI congress in Africa is significant given the crucial role of mathematics as the basic science for scientific and technological developments, which contribute significantly to innovations impacting positively to socio-economic development. There is also a forceful movement world-wide towards increasing mathematical literacy with the aim of producing future generations of scientists. This is to be welcomed as no individual’s life is unaffected by numbers, numerically based arguments, and the need to make decisions based on information represented by words, graphs, tables, formulae and equations. Mathematical literacy is critical in promoting a democratic culture, while mathematics is important for a wide range of careers that are crucial to the economy and nation building.
South Africa has taken a policy decision to ensure a future citizenry that is mathematically literate by introducing policies that make mathematics a compulsory subject up to matriculation. This has put new and daunting challenges to our education system. We now need to train and retain sufficient numbers of mathematics graduates, and recruit many of them into the teaching profession. I am glad that the focus of this conference is on the teaching and learning of mathematics.
Regional co-operation, communication and development across Africa form a critical part of the well-being of our continent and its peoples. The development of Africa is to a large degree dependent on the strengthening of our S&T system, which is grounded on developments made by mathematicians. Without proper mathematics teaching and learning in our schools, Africa’s socio-economic development is unlikely to be realised soon. This First Africa Regional Congress of the ICMI gives us hope that mathematics and mathematics education will be enhanced in ways that are aligned to broader goals for improved socio-development of our continent.
The participation and support of international experts have the possibility of enhancing the capacity of African intellectuals to influence developments targeted at improving the lives of the peoples of this continent. As geographical boundaries dissolve and technologies increase possibilities for interaction, our education systems become increasingly diversified, thus creating significant challenges for the teaching and learning of mathematics, among other subjects. As communities that work with multiple languages and limited resources, we have much to offer regarding creative ways of doing more with less.
The Department of Science and Technology is currently involved in developing a curriculum support programme whose constituent part includes In-Service Training to improve educators’ skills and methods of teaching Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics in schools. We hope to acquire more insight and knowledge from this congress to guide these developments. Let us focus our attention more on our future citizens, the youth. Half the battle would have been won if your resolutions could include interventions that target the youth.
South Africa is privileged to be the host of this Congress. We hope that the outcomes will add real value to the countries of Africa. With these words, I wish this historic Congress success.
Thank you.
Issued by: Department of Science and Technology
Date: 22 June 2005
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