Call for entries: High school Maths Olympiad
When schools open for the first term of 2015 mathematics teachers will be able to enter learners from Grade 8 to 12 in the annual South African Mathematics Olympiad (SAMO).
JOHANNESBURG SOUTH – This Olympiad, which was first held in 1966, has for the past 10 years been organised by the national office for mathematics, the South African Mathematics Foundation (SAMF) and is being sponsored by Liberty and the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA).
Prof Johann Engelbrecht, Executive Director at the SAMF says, “Mathematics has, through the ages, been seen as the queen of all sciences. Everything in existence is supported by mathematics. Even the prosperity of a country is dependent on mathematics.”
According to Engelbrecht examples of careers in mathematics include, but are not limited to engineering, statistics and the most recent development, biology. He says that DNA analysis, for instance, is a mathematical theory and that even finger prints and retina scans need mathematics for the classification. This makes biological mathematics one of the most exciting careers that will play a major role in the field of science in the next century.
Participation in the SAMO (and other SAMF programmes) ultimately prepares a learner for tertiary education. The type of mathematical problems that participants are faced with during each round of this Olympiad is very similar to what can be expected at University level. Engelbrecht strongly recommends that all learners who plan to further their education at University take part in the Olympiad from an early age. “Our learner development programmes start at Grade 4 and the majority of past winners of the high school Olympiad have been taking part in our programmes since they were 10 years old,” he says.
The first round of the SAMO will be taking place on March 12 at each individual school; the duration is one hour and the school can schedule its own time. First round parcels consisting of the final instructions regarding round one, the question papers, answer sheets, solutions and certificates will be couriered as soon as the SAMF receives the school’s entry form.
The entry fee is R24 per learner for schools in South Africa and schools with more than 100 entrants can enter at a reduced fee of R20 per learner. Dinaledi schools can enter learners free of charge.
Schools and teachers who wish to enter can contact the SAMF by telephone 012 392 9362 or send an e-mail to info@samf.ac.za. The entry form is also available online at www.samf.ac.za
