Programme director
The Principal of the Star International School
Representatives of the Department of Education
Educators, learners and parents
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen
It is indeed a pleasure for me to be part of this great and exciting event. To be amongst the young achievers and the Star Maths Competition prize recipients is a privilege. Your achievement in this competition is a sign of talent and the potential you have to excel in mathematics, and even to succeed in your other endeavours in life.
This prize giving ceremony is taking place during the National Science Week which runs from 1 to 8 August 2009 in all the nine provinces. The National Science Week is an initiative of the Department of Science and Technology, which in addition to showcasing the importance of science, engineering and technology in our daily lives, seeks to stimulate young people’s interest in science-based careers.
Those of you who are doing physical science should have realised by now how challenging it is to attempt learning this subject without a reasonable background of mathematics. This is because mathematics is the language of science. As Galileo Galilee once put it, "the understanding of physics will deepen because students can solve more mathematically challenging problems. This will reinforce the idea that calculus is an important part of physics. The understanding of mathematics will deepen because physics provides a rich source of problems".
The role of mathematics is not limited to the understanding and solving of physics-related problems. Mathematics assists us in finding answers to other problems we encounter in our lives. Other important fields such as commerce, social sciences, health sciences, and engineering also use mathematics. In the same context, mathematics gives the world hope in finding solutions to some of the life challenges like diseases. Leading European scientists have alluded to the discovery of crucial mathematics-linked breakthroughs referred to as systems biology in the treatment of diseases such as diabetes and Parkinson’s disease. Systems biology is said to be a rapidly advancing field that combines empirical, mathematical and computational techniques to gain understanding of complex biological and physiological phenomena.
We sincerely want South Africa not to be left behind in the application of mathematics to life sciences and medicine. The South African Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis (SACEMA), for instance, has been working on mathematical modelling and analysis of HIV and AIDS dynamics. SACEMA is part of the national research centres established under the Centre of Excellence programme of the Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation.
There are also initiatives in South Africa to enhance the application of mathematics to life sciences and medicine. SACEMA annually runs a one-week course on the use of mathematics in biology and medicine. The course targets 3rd year and Honours students in the mathematical sciences. The course is intended to stimulate student's interests in the use of mathematics to solve issues in biology or medicine.
The learning and teaching of mathematics in South Africa is still faced with some challenges. These include availability and retention of qualified mathematics educators. Due to a high demand of people with mathematical skills by other sectors of the economy, some of the best mathematics educators leave their teaching posts for well paying jobs in the corporate sector. This trend, accompanied by the already low numbers of available qualified mathematics educators further weakens the country’s ability to produce more good quality mathematics results.
Final grade 12 results of 2008 have shown that whilst the overall performance in mathematics is improving, it is not happening at the same rate as in physical science. Although part of the causes is that there were interventions in mathematics which were not made on physical science, I believe that learners and educators could also play a role in improving the situation. Learners need to plan their work in such a way that they give all their subjects a balanced attention. There is an old adage that "A man or woman who does not think and plan ahead will find trouble at his or her door."
Educators on the other hand could help learners to draw up own study timetables. The importance of giving a balanced attention to all your subjects surfaces when you seek entry to the higher education. Higher education institutions in South Africa have varying performance-based entry requirements for different programmes. However, the most common aspect of their criteria is that students are expected to meet prescribed minimum scores for study programmes they intend to follow. To make a grade also requires good performance in other subjects.
I would like to commend the Star International School and the Star Maths Competition team for their involvement with the learners in all the activities which proceeded today's occasion. This is not just a competition, but a search for learners with talent and potential to make it in mathematics, science, engineering and technology careers. Organisers and educators therefore have a task to make sure that the prize recipients here today do not just disappear without trace.
Last month I spoke at the 2009 National Science Olympiads award ceremony in Gauteng (organised by the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement - SAASTA). The occasion which also marked the 45th anniversary of the National Science Olympiad launched a book showing what is currently happening with some of the previous winners of this Olympiad. I think tracking previous winners of olympiads and competitions is one of the best practices organisers of olympiads and competitions across the country could adopt.
When we thank role players in instances like this, we tend to forget parents. I would therefore like to thank all parents of all prize recipients this evening. Without your motivation, support and allowing these learners time at home to do their school work, this day would not have been possible. I urge you to continue supporting them and to guide them in collaboration with their educators. Thank you and keep on supporting and nurturing these children in the right direction.
To the principal, Mr Centi, staff, Star Maths Competition team and school governing body, I would like to express my appreciation for the good gesture to learner talent identification and nurturing efforts you are making in the Western Cape.
To the schools and dedicated educators who went an extra mile to enrol and ensure learners success in this competition, well done. I know it took up much of your time to prepare your learners to participate in the competition, as well as administering the tests. South Africa needs committed educators like you. South Africa needs educators who strive and ensure achievement and excellence of their learners. Congratulations to you too, without your efforts these learners would not have realised their potential.
Lastly, to the most important people of the day, the 200 prize recipients, this is your day. Make it a day to remember by using it as a springboard towards better and exciting things in life. This should be a day you would look back at with pride and say "it changed my life for good because it made me realise the potential and talent in me. Since that day, I never looked back, I just kept on going and the potential in me was fully unleashed to propel me to greater heights."
The DST views olympiads and competitions as useful instruments to search for talent and potential among young people. It is against this background that as part of our collaboration with the Department of Basic Education, we have over the past two years, piloted educator’s workshops to equip them with skills to prepare learners for olympiads and competitions. The initiative is currently being reconfigured on the basis of the information gathered from the pilot project. It is envisaged that a fully revised programme will be running in the next financial year.
With these words, I congratulate all the winners.
Thank you.
Issued by: Department of Science and Technology
5 August 2009
Source: Department of Science and Technology (http://www.dst.gov.za)
