Marang Centre, a multimillion-rand maths and science facility based at the Wits education campus in Parktown, Johannesburg, is reaching out to students on the continent with its new academic research programmes.
One of these programmes is a research fellowship offered at doctorate and post-doctoral level.
Marang director Professor Mamokgethi Setati said this is part of the centre’s efforts to develop capacity and produce a pool of more maths and science leaders on the continent.
She said four fellows are currently enrolled: two Zimbabweans, a Nigerian and one from Lesotho. Those at doctorate level are sponsored to a tune of R90 000 a year, while those doing post-doctoral studies receive R120 000.
“These are bright and committed scholars, some of whom occupied [the] most senior academic positions in their countries, and we are excited to have them here,” said Setati.
It is hoped that when they return home, they will form a critical mass of qualified professionals in these subjects, which are considered key to reviving the socio-economic fortunes of the region.
Setati said the research is spread over a period of three years and has a strong mentorship component. “The fellows are treated as part of the staff. For instance, they teach, learn how to supervise students and do just about everything that we do as staff. And each one of them has been assigned a mentor.”
The fellows work in different research areas, which range from multilingualism and the learning of mathematics and science in school, mathematical literacy, public awareness in science, mathematics and science knowledge for teaching to effective methods of teaching maths and science.
Maebeebe Mokeleche lectured at the Lesotho College of Education before joining Marang in June last year. His focus is public awareness in science.
Mokeleche said the aim of his research is to demystify science and to make people aware of the part it plays in their daily lives. He said the centre hosts seminars and workshops where experts empower teachers with practical skills they can adapt for use in their classrooms.
Mokeleche said he hoped the findings of the research would be shared with other institutions as the areas identified resonate those of other poor countries in the region.
Michael Mhlolo, who hails from Zimbabwe, joined the programme after he presented a seminal paper during a maths and science conference hosted in South Africa.
“After the presentation I was encouraged to apply. I did apply, but the competition was stiff and I could not make the grade. But even then they kept in touch,” said Mhlolo. And the rest, as the saying goes, is history.
Mhlolo is a mathematics genius and he, too, was attached to a teacher training college in his country before he enrolling at Marang Centre last year. His research focuses on the effective teaching of maths.
He said in most instances teachers are blamed when students perform poorly, and there is often a call for an increase in content knowledge. “But research disproved this as it was found that the problem has to do with the methods teachers use to teach the subject,” he said.
Mholol said most teachers have sufficient content knowledge but battle when they have to share that knowledge with learners.
He said has started with his initial research and has visited schools in Gauteng. Mhlolo is optimistic his research will yield positive results.
He was full of praise for the work the Marang Centre is doing, adding that it is encouraging to see more young people taking teaching as a profession. The challenge for governments is to ensure that these learners do not leave the system early or on completion of their studies.