Three full scholarships for further study at Rhodes University were awarded to local Mathematics learners chosen from over 250 learners from 17 schools in the Grahamstown District during the 6th Rhodes University Mathematics Experience (Rume) hosted at the Barratt Lecture complex last week Friday.
The event, which has an established reputation in mathematics education circles was organised by Andrew Stevens (RU Education Department) and Joyce Sewry (Deputy Dean of Science Faculty), supported by a group of committed local teachers who want the mathematical talent of local learners to be stimulated.
The learners spent the afternoon busy solving mathematics problems and engaging in ‘serious fun’. The afternoon kicked off with a 20-Question maths competition requiring ‘out of the box’ thinking. They later listened had a discussion on mathematical problem solving with Andrew Stevens of the Rhodes Education Department of Mathematics.
Rume forms part of the Vice Chancellor’s initiative to improve the education opportunities of learners in the Grahamstown District. It is also in line with recent policy shifts, which have identified the need to improve the quality of the mathematics education in our schools. Seartec sponsored the event, the distributors of Sharp calculators and Rhodes University.
At the closing ceremony, the chair of the organising committee, Stevens, explained that one of the main purposes of the event is to identify hidden talent amongst local learners and to continue to develop this talent through a structured programme in the coming months as part of the ‘Siyanqoba’ initiative of the SA Mathematics Foundation.
Learners are invited to attend weekly problem-solving sessions at the Rhodes Education Department on Friday afternoons to help them become better problem solvers and to assist them in mathematical competitions such as the SA Mathematical Olympiad.