Entries are open for SA’s biggest mathematics competitions
The South African Mathematics Foundation (SAMF) announced this week that entries are open for the annual South African Mathematics Challenge (SAMC) and Old Mutual South African Mathematics Olympiad (SAMO). Entries opened on 11 January 2023 and close on 24 February 2023.
Mathematics teachers nationwide can register their learners for the country’s biggest and most prestigious mathematics competitions until the end of next month. The SAMC is open for grades 4 to 7, while the SAMO (co-sponsored by the South African Institute for Chartered Accountants, SAICA) caters for grades 8 to 12.
As their names suggest, these programmes challenge learners to think outside the box. They do not test the learners based on the mathematics curriculum but on their ability to analyse a problem and think analytically.
Dr Belinda Huntley, head of the department of mathematics at St Catherine's Convent in Johannesburg and chairperson of the SAMF’s Advisory Committee on Mathematics (ACM), said: “As educators, we want to equip our learners with the necessary skills so that they can read the problem and ask ‘What tools can I use from my toolkit to answer these problems?’ It is not that these problems are so difficult; it is that they're asked from a different angle - from a different dimension.”
“Many learners are not confident enough, which is why they fear mathematics competitions. They need enough exposure, starting in primary school, to these types of questions. The sooner they start, the more confident they become. By encouraging our learners to participate in these competitions, we help them develop analytical and critical thinking, which will stand them in a good state in university studies and life. That is why I am passionate about children being exposed to mathematics competitions.”
Last year’s winner of the SAMO, Emmanuel Rassou, a Class of 2022 learner at the South African College Schools (SACS) in Newlands - a part of the southern suburbs of Cape Town in the Western Cape - said, "mathematics is a challenging subject for many people. If you want to participate in this year’s competitions, my advice is to persevere. Although the questions are very challenging, you should never give up. Everyone has that problem-solving ability in them. You should use your teachers as a resource if you have trouble understanding a question. Understanding mathematics is more than repeating the problem over and over. It is about understanding why you are doing the problem and how it fits into the bigger picture because mathematics is essential for many different fields.”
"Education is integral to our Responsible Business strategy at Old Mutual. Our holistic support spans the entire education value chain, from early childhood development to comprehensive Financial Education programmes targeted at a wide range of audiences. Our support for STEM education is part of this approach, and one of the ways we are working to improve maths literacy is by collaborating with the South African Mathematics Foundation. We are exceptionally proud of the initiatives in place to strengthen mathematics education amongst our youth, and we remain confident that we can jointly drive high impact in the space," says Celiwe Ross, Director: Group Strategy & Group Human Capital.
Registrations for the SAMC and SAMO close on 24 February 2023. Parents who want their children to participate must contact the school’s mathematics teacher, who could register the learners using the printable registration form on the SAMF website. Online entries open in early February.
SAMC 2023 PDF Entry Form: https://www.samf.ac.za/en/sa-mathematics-challenge
SAMO 2023 PDF Entry Form: https://www.samf.ac.za/en/sa-mathematics-olympiad
Dr Belinda Huntley
Emmanuel Rassou
Dr Belinda Huntley explains why mathematical problem-solving skills are essential for participating in the South African Mathematics Olympiad.