Experts advocate simpler maths teaching to strengthen students’ learning

…as Verboheit Maths Award Competition 3.0 unveiled winners

Industry experts have called for urgent steps to strengthen foundational mathematics skills among Nigerian students, stressing that a solid grounding in mathematics is essential not only for academic success but also for lifelong endeavours in a tech-driven world.

Tosin Ojo, convener of Verboheit Mathematics League Competition, speaking at the third award ceremony held in Lagos recently, said that mathematics is one of the most fundamental skills students need to excel in life.

“Mathematics is a life skill. We had parents who were traders, though not educated, yet they knew numbers. They ran their businesses and were profitable.

“In those days, companies could employ primary six certificate holders to work as clerks, because they knew numbers, but today, we’ve graduates that don’t understand numbers; all they have are just certificates,” she said.

Ojo emphasised that Nigerians erroneously stress certificates over skills. According to her, what the younger generations need is skills, because even if they choose to become entrepreneurs, they will need to understand numbers.

“If you’re going to be a top chief financial officer in a major corporation, such as a finance firm, accounting, entrepreneurship, or software engineer, the professions have only one thing in common, and that’s strong number skills,” she noted.

The financial expert expressed concerns that some students lack foundational skills such as grit, resilience and hard work, which she said are embedded in mathematics.

“How will they be good business managers, and this cascades to everything around us; it’s a fundamental problem that we have in Nigeria.

“We overemphasise certificates. People are going to school, but going to school to do what? If you are very strong in number skills, you can go to colleges that teach coding, software skills, and can make money without having a degree,” she stressed.

She questioned the logic behind teaching mathematics only in English, instead of in students’ mother tongues.

“Why do students need English to understand mathematics? The Chinese, they teach their children mathematics in Chinese. That’s why they are the continent of technology.

“The Germans teach their children mathematics in German. Why do you need to know English to be able to know maths in Nigeria? We cannot break out in science and technology as a country if we don’t get these fundamentals right,” she said.

Besides, Ojo said, if parents understand it that way, they will start letting their children embrace mathematics as a core skill that is integral to life.

“It is not just for you to go and look for a job. It is a core skill that’s integral to life and must be demystified.

“The way these countries teach mathematics is by demystifying it, because they’re not trying to teach them English before they now teach them maths,” she noted.

Tolulope Elubode, business development/partnerships at Grovane Advisory Partners, highlighted the roles of mathematics in a person’s life, when he said that numeracy is an important skill in a successful career, especially in corporate finance.

“Everything is a number, and that’s the reason mathematics is an important course, and/or a compulsory course in school; it’s a life skill, something you need to apply to your daily life,” he said.

Elubode stressed that numbers are like the foundation; they are the building blocks of life.

“Everything is numbers. I just want to encourage the students that numbers are actually the building blocks of life. Numbers will shape your life, and everything that has to do with it.

“Mathematics is the language of logic, and finance is the language of business. So, whatever it is that

“Numeracy, mathematics generally, is something that we need even in life generally. ” You are doing your mathematics right now, hold it tight, because it’s going to be very important for the future,” he said.

Chimkwesiri Anyinam, a student of Penny International College, Lagos, emerged the overall winner, while Ukeme-Obong Danison, a student of Kina High School, Port Harcourt, and Kuranga Muhammad of Vetland Senior Grammar School, Lagos, clinched the first and second runners-up positions, respectively.

Abdullah Adeyemo from Greater Tomorrow International Day College, Lagos, won the newly introduced Dipo Olomofe award for public schools.

The overall top winner got N250,000, the first runner-up received a cash prize of N150,000, and the second runner-up received N100,000. The winner of the Dipo Olomofe award also went home with N100,000.

More than 300 students from across the country enrolled for the Mathematics League Competition 3.0, and the best 20 were selected for the final contest.

Verboheit Mathematics League Competition is a mathematics competition for secondary school students in senior secondary schools.  It recognises exceptional talent and achievement, which is the pinnacle of the mathematics league awards.