Cape Town - The South African Mathematics Foundation (SAMF) held its annual award ceremony, recognising outstanding achievements in mathematics education.
The event was held at Emperor's Palace in Ekurhuleni and showcased the dedication of students, educators, and organisations.
One of the ceremony's highlights was the keynote address delivered by Professor Loyiso G. Nongxa, an emeritus professor of mathematics at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) and a prominent figure in the field of mathematics. His insights were both illuminating and inspiring.
Nogxa said that mathematics education is the foundation of innovation and progress.
‘’I am honoured to be part of this event celebrating excellence in mathematics,’’ said Nogxa.
The Foundation acknowledges outstanding winners and top-performing schools in its prestigious learner development programmes for their dedication and talent in maths excellence.
Youkyum Kim, a Grade 10 student from Reddam House, won the Old Mutual South African Mathematics Olympiad (SAMO), showcasing his exceptional mathematical abilities and dedication.
The title signifies his promising future, attributed to his exceptional mathematical abilities and unwavering dedication.
Ben Maree, a Grade 9 student from Westerford High School, won the Junior Division of the Old Mutual SAMO for outstanding mathematical prowess and dedication to mathematics education.
The individual's dedication to mathematics education and impressive performance make them a deserving winner.
Jonathan Coolen, a Somerset House Preparatory School student, won the Senior Division of the South African Mathematics Challenge (SAMC), showcasing his exceptional mathematical aptitude and love for the subject.
Venessa Oger, representing Standard Bank, presented awards for the SATMO, recognising top-performing students and universities.
Jordan Heugh, from the University of Cape Town, was named the Best Undergraduate Student.
Aaron Naidu, from the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal, won the Best Honours Student award, and the University of Stellenbosch won the Top-Performing University award.
Oger emphasised the significance of mathematics in shaping future leaders and congratulated winners for their dedication and passion, highlighting a day filled with celebration and inspiration.
“It was a day filled with celebration, inspiration, and a collective commitment to shaping a brighter future through maths,’’ said Oger.
The Old Mutual SAMO and SAMC competitions in South Africa were successful, with several silver medallists in the senior division and several silver medallists in the junior division.
The South African Mathematics Congress (SAMC) recognised the outstanding achievements of the junior division (grades 4-5) of the school, including students from Reddam House Durbanville and Deutsche Internationale Schule Pretoria Ruichen Wang.
The event recognised schools for exceptional performance in Old Mutual SAMO and SAMC competitions.
Midstream College and Sweet Valley Primary School were awarded for their commitment to mathematics education.
The Actuarial Society of South Africa (ASSA) also honoured mathematics excellence with the ASSA South African Mathematics Team Competition.
The panellists featured notable experts, including Celiwe Ross, Director of Group Strategy and Group Human Capital at Old Mutual.
Ross highlighted the company's focus on big data, DevOps engineering, data science, customer insights, artificial intelligence, and creative problem-solving.
‘’We are proud to support initiatives that promote mathematics education and excellence, as these skills are critical to our strategy and long-term growth. It's inspiring to see the achievements of these young mathematicians!” said Ross.
SAICA's Executive Director, Robert Zwane, emphasised the institute's dedication to enhancing chartered accounting through robust mathematical foundations.
“SAICA recognised the importance of mathematics in creating access to occupations in high demand or critical skills. To this end, SAICA continues to collaborate with SAMF,’’ said Zwane
Marc Ancillotti, Ashley Ah Goo, and Jeffrey Thomas were honoured for ten years on the SAMC's Problem Committee, and a panel discussion on the national strategy for mathematical sciences was held.