When contemplating a future career path, high school students should never forget the importance of mathematics.  Although seen as a major obstacle by many young school goers, mathematics is the stepping stone to a number of illustrious careers. South Africa has a dire shortage of promising mathematics results - a problem the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) takes very seriously. 

Speaking to the country's top maths student at this year's SAICA-sponsored Maths Olympiads awards ceremony, Professor Poobhalan Pillay, Emeritus Professor at UKZN's School of Mathematical Sciences, reflected that the applications of mathematics to a variety of disciplines has grown at a rapid rate over the last few decades.

“Investment decisions in the stock market are no longer being made by financiers, but by PhD mathematicians and the immensely complex computer programs they devise,” said Professor Pillay.

“Whether it be image processing, DVDs, GPRS, investments in stock markets, design of state-of-the-art aircraft, cancer research - all use mathematics. If you are thinking of making mathematics a career, do not be afraid that you may be without a job. More and more business houses are seeking mathematicians to help run their organisations.”

But when it comes to budding matriculants, mathematicians are an intellectual commodity that South Africa sorely lacks.

To put it in context, 300 000 pupils wrote the matric maths paper back in 2008. Compare this to 2011 where only 225 000 wrote the exam – a decline of 25% in just three years. Not only this but the average mark for the 2011 maths paper was a dismal 29%.

Matric maths results have become a national issue that demands urgent attention. If this country is to make any sort of headway in its crucial skills development drive, these results need to improve, and fast.

Chantyl Mulder, Senior Executive at SAICA says, “Mathematics is the gateway to many key professions such as accounting, engineering, actuarial sciences, medicine and more. We need to encourage and support our learners to study mathematics, but more than that, we need to aim for good results.”

It is one of SAICA's prime mandates to rapidly grow and evolve the chartered accountancy [CA(SA)] profession in South Africa by boosting the numbers of African and Coloured CAs(SA). In order to do this, the institute has to tap into the foundation that allows someone to become a CA in the first place - quality matric maths results.

“If I had one wish, it would be that 70% of learners who pass mathematics obtain 60% or more. Can you imagine the effect this would have on our country and its people?” says Mulder.

The institute's Thuthuka Bursary Fund offers over 350 bursaries every year to those underprivileged students who dream of one day becoming chartered accountants. It can only offer this opportunity to those students who obtain exceptional marks, especially in mathematics.

SAICA is heavily involved in the promotion of mathematics in and has been for years. The institute co-sponsors the Maths Olympiad together with the South African Mathematics Foundation, runs annual maths development camps across the country, and is behind various other initiatives that aim to jack up matric results.

“At the Thuthuka Camp, I realised a lot of things about myself,” says Yanga Mcunukelwa. “At first I thought it was just a camp, like the ones we attend at school. But the Thuthuka Camp made me realise that I have potential. More than I thought I had. I realised that nothing is impossible when you set your mind to it.”

While SAICA can only do so much, it is up to teachers, parents and indeed the youth to take control of South Africa's future.  Without improved matric results, unemployment will continue to rise as skills continue to decline. Mathematics is a sure way to build a future for many capable young citizens and there are no marks that cannot be improved without a little push in the right direction. Contact SAICA and get behind its Thuthuka initiative to see what you can do to improve maths results in South Africa.