A strong maths culture is key to development

Last year just over half of all South African learners who wrote mathematics passed this subject. According to Mike McDougall, CEO of the Actuarial Society of South Africa, this means that a large percentage of last year’s school leavers, both those who d

“Maths is a universal problem solving language that can be applied in many spheres of everyday life. Maths education is therefore critical in fostering logical thinking and numeracy.”

He says the low pass rate, the fact that the percentage of learners taking maths has dropped and the poor quality of South Africa’s maths education is worrying. The World Economic Forum last year ranked South Africa at the bottom on the quality of maths and science in a survey of 62 countries.

McDougall says many learners mistakenly believe that taking maths as a subject is only necessary if they are aspiring to build careers in fields such as actuarial science, accounting, medicine or engineering.

“The reality is that as our society becomes more and more dependent on technology most professions require analytical minds and the ability to solve problems. Maths trains the brain in logical reasoning and flexible thinking, which are skills increasingly sought after in a variety of fields.”

He says in particular geometry and several of the components of school mathematics that are found in Mathematics Paper Three develop unstructured problem solving skills, which are amongst the most important skills needed in the fields of engineering, actuarial science, and natural sciences. Paper Three is an optional paper consisting of probability, data handling and geometry.

“In my view, the neglect of this part of mathematics in our school system is a critical problem that needs to be addressed if South Africa wants to produce matriculants that can successfully study in these areas. Paper Three should not be optional for matriculants studying mathematics, and schools should not be allowed to ignore this critical part of the mathematics syllabus.”

McDougall believes that learners who opt out of maths as a subject severely restrict their career choices. “Equally, parents who do not encourage their children to engage with maths from an early age limit their children’s potential.”

It is, however, not only in terms of a career that maths skills are essential; simply being able to function as a citizen in the modern economy and to be able to access and understand many of the products and services available requires a proficiency in mathematics. Without mathematics many people make incorrect choices when it comes to their own personal finances, especially when it comes to loans, insurance policies, savings and budgeting of expenses, says McDougall.

“Our reluctance as a nation to embrace maths is probably also a significant contributor to the high levels of debt in South Africa as well as the poor savings rate. If we did the sums before financing household items that we could probably do without, many more people would think twice before taking on debt. I also think that many more South Africans would save if they understood the power of compounding.”

McDougall points out that countries with the highest savings rates in the world, like China, also happen to be the strongest in the world when it comes to maths.

“As the world is increasingly moving to become a knowledge economy, the proportion of careers and jobs that need mathematical skills is increasing, and South Africa’s ability to compete in this world requires more and more school leavers to be proficient in mathematics.”

McDougall acknowledges, however, that South Africa is suffering from a severe shortage of teaching skills, particularly in the fields of maths and science. “The Actuarial Society appreciates the enormity of the problemand is looking at possible ways in which the actuarial profession can support Government in growing the teaching skills needed to raise a society where maths is considered an integral part of daily life.”

The Actuarial Society is already actively involved in the following projects aimed at growing a passion for maths among South African learners:

• Actuaries on the Move – This is a schools-based programme that aims to increase the number of black students joining the actuarial profession. Assistance is provided to learners by means of extra tuition in maths and science.
• Bona Lesedi - A joint venture with Pretoria Boys High School and the Catholic Women’s League, the Actuarial Society provides the funding needed to transport learners from Mamelodi to Pretoria Boys High School on a weekly basis for maths tutoring. Learners do the tutoring. This program was recently recognised with a bronze Stevie Award at the International Business Awards.
• Inter-Provincial Mathematics Olympiad – Sponsored by the Actuarial Society, this has been a regular event since 1990.
• Calculator challenge – In celebration of International Maths Day in March, the Actuarial Society challenges members to donate calculators, which are then distributed via the Actuaries on the Move project.