mathematical sciences 2
M A T H E M A T I C A L S C I E N C E S
experiential locus for researching the role strengthening the foundation of math-
played by multiple languages in the teach- ematics in schools, identifying and nur-
ing of mathematics to primary and second- turing the best students at the secondary
ary schoolchildren. There is also research level, and encouraging such students into
activity in the developing area of under- programmes in the mathematical sciences.
graduate mathematics education, incorpo- As noted in the 2009 IMU report referred to
rating language and technology issues. earlier, South Africa has some excellent sec-
ondary schools but the situation is dismal in
A promising new development is the intro- rural areas. The vast majority of mathemat-
duction of South African mathematics edu- ics teachers do not have Bachelor’s degrees,
cation chairs, a jointly funded initiative of nor is it a requirement that they should. It
the Department of Science and Technology is imperative that interventions like in-
and FirstRand Bank.
service teacher training be augmented by
other schemes such as introducing teacher
internships at universities around the coun-
2.5 Summary
try. In such a scheme, a mathematics teach-
er would retain his/her permanent teach-
I
n general, there is a substantive body of
ing position at a school and would spend
good research by international standards
a period of time, six or twelve months, in
in all the mathematical sciences (pure
a mathematics department at a university,
mathematics, applied mathematics, statis-
learning appropriate level university math-
tics, and mathematics education) in South
ematics coursework and, where possible,
Africa. This research is done predominantly,
contributing to work in the department by
although not exclusively, by NRF-rated
teaching or tutoring first year students.
and/or NRF-funded researchers and their
research teams, including postgraduate Second, any expectations about the future
students. of research in South Africa in the math-
ematical sciences must factor in the human
There are three positive trends that are resource pipeline and its productivity. Three
worthy of highlighting. First, the positive comments are pertinent. First, the sector
growth in research outputs in terms of jour- must ask the question about the propor-
nal publications; second, the relatively high tion of academic mathematical scientists
mean number of articles per mathematical who hold a PhD and are actively involved
author; and, third, the indisputably high in research and the publication of original
impact rates achieved by journal contribu- work. Second, attention should be drawn
tions in mathematical sciences by research- to the lack of any significant growth in the
ers living and working in South Africa. number of students majoring in mathemat-
ics and the very modest growth, off a low
Challenges base, of higher degree students in the
The ultimate health and strength of the mathematical sciences. Third, the racial and
mathematical sciences depends upon gender demography of research mathema-
79
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