The importance of mathematics as a tool to help develop logical thinking, is highlighted by the South African Mathematics Foundation (SAMF).
In a study in 2020, researchers found that “the greater the mathematics training of the participant, the more tasks were completed correctly, and that performance on some tasks was also associated with performance on others not traditionally associated.”
The study further reports that “intensive training has been shown to impact the brain and cognition across a number of domains from music, to video gaming, to Braille reading.”
The SAMF offers two learner development programmes to help primary and high school children sharpen their logical thinking skills, amongst others.
The Nestlé Nespray South African Mathematics Challenge (SAMC) is for Gr. 4 to Gr. 7, and the Old Mutual South African Mathematics Olympiad (Samo), co-sponsored by the South African Institute for Chartered Accountants (Saica), is for Gr. 8 to Gr. 12. Both consist of non-routine mathematical problems, which stimulate learners to think further than in the classroom.
“The idea of the challenge is to start developing logical thinking at a young age,” says Ashley Ah Goo, vice-chair of the problem committee for the SAMC.
“We encourage teachers nationwide to register their learners for the upcoming challenge and olympiad,” says Prof. Kerstin Jordaan, executive director of the SAMF and mathematics research associate at the University of South Africa (Unisa).
Registration for quintile 1 and 2 schools are free, whereas quintile 3, 4 and 5 and private schools pay a nominal entry fee.
Registration for the Samo and SAMC opened on 3 January. Parents who want to register their children must reach out to the school’s Mathematics teacher. The entry forms are available on samf.ac.za.
Registration for the olympiad closes on 21 February, while for the challenge the closing date is 24 February. For more information, send an email to info@samf.ac.za.
