South Africa is experiencing an exponential crisis in terms of mathematics and science education. For the third year in a row the country has finished last in the World Economic Forum’s mathematics and science education quality rankings. In effect this means that SA’s performance in mathematics and sciences is lower than that of Nigeria, Mozambique, and Malawi.

In a concerted effort to address this dire concern the North-West University’s (NWU’s) campus in Vanderbijlpark – under the auspices of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences – will host the 5^th annual Geexpo on Saturday, 14 October 2017.

Through this annual initiative hundreds of learners from across central South Africa are exposed to the multitude of opportunities that are associated with mathematics and information science, not only as a potential field of study, but also as an exciting and innovative career choice.

Getting practical with mathematics and science

Mathematics and science are an absolutely critical part of the future and according to JT Janse van Rensburg, event coordinator and lecturer within the faculty, the NWU aims to maximise its impact for public and private good in the future by taking-up the opportunities that presents itself now.

During GeeXpo learners - from as young as Grade 7 - are invited to take part in several mathematics and information sciences related activities, such as: a PAT (Practical Assessment Task) Competition, a Mathematics Olympiad, a Statistics Presentation, a Robotics Challenge and interactive presentations by the Serious Games Institute of South Africa (SGI-SA). The latter includes mobile technologies as well as the App Factory.

JT explains that the importance of mathematics and science cannot be stressed enough, since these subjects are compulsory if students wish to undertake further studies in a number of fields that are very important to the economy and the further development of the country. These sectors include engineering, natural sciences, information technology and medicine. “At the NWU we believe that we are the preferred choice when it comes to business and information technology,” says JT and explains that apart from showcasing the different applications of mathematics and computer science within a university context, learners also stand the chance to win full study bursaries during the event.  For more information about the event, visit: http://natural-sciences.nwu.ac.za/geexpo

Register today!

Schools are invited to register as many learners for GeeXpo as they see fit. Please note that the PAT Competition is for learners who are in Grade 10-12, whilst the Mathematics Olympiad is open for any learner from Grade 8-12. For more information please send an email to geexpo@nwu.ac.za  or contact Belinda Lombard on 016 910 3261.

* Van Schaik Bookstore, Binary Space and Sharp are proud sponsors of this initiative.