Search
Filters

Standard Bank supports mathematics education

Thursday, 10 February 2022

The South African Mathematics Foundation (SAMF) partnered with Standard Bank for a brand-new intake of teachers in one of its teacher empowerment programmes that launches on Saturday, 19 February 2022.

The Standard Bank AIMSSEC Mathematical Thinking (MT) Online Course is for Mathematics teachers with Senior Phase (Grades 7 – 9) and FET Phase (Grades 10 – 12) classes. AIMSSEC will present this professional development course virtually over 14 weeks.

Prof Kerstin Jordaan, the executive director at the SAMF, is pleased with the outcomes of this relatively new addition to its teacher enrichment programmes. "The Foundation partnered with the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences Schools Enrichment Centre (AIMSSEC) in 2020. Since then, 278 teachers from across the country have received much-needed training. A further 155 teachers of which 75 will be funded by Standard Bank have enrolled for courses to start in February 2022. It is a small start, but one must remember that Rome wasn't built in a day. We, at the Foundation, are thankful to our sponsors who support our teacher development courses and welcome Standard Bank as a new partner."

“I grew up in a community that believed that Motho ke Motho ka batho,” says Tshiamo Molanda, Head: Youth Clients, Standard Bank South Africa. “As Standard Bank we are deeply rooted into the continent, as a South African business we believe that we need to do our part to improve the lives of the generations to come hence we have partnered with SAMF and AIMSSEC. Through investing in our teachers, we aim not only to empower teachers with improved skills in mathematics, but to also assist in driving an improved mathematics pass rate. The ambition is to increase the number of qualifying learners for STEM and skills required for the future. The future is now, and we therefore need to do our part now.

The MT course focuses on a fresh approach to teaching and learning mathematics, including solving non-routine type problems. The lecturers utilise teaching material that will assist teachers in assigning motivational blended-learning tasks.

Bianca Chimanikire, a mathematics teacher at the Leap Science and Maths School in Jane Furse, Sekhukhune East District, Limpopo, was one of the top students in 2021. "I thought I knew it all," she says, "but academics in education constantly develop new methods that improve the way we teach. Therefore, I encourage all mathematics teachers to attend this training. It will open your eyes to new possibilities and help improve your school's performance in mathematics."

Leave your comment