The Eastern Cape Department of Education (ECDoE) hosted its annual Provincial Mental Mathematics Quiz for Grades 6 and 7 District champions in Stutterheim on 04 September 2017.

The programme started in 2011, with Nomonde Dabula in the forefront as the brain child of the programme. Initially, it was only targeted for Grade 6 learners and it has since grown to grade 7 as well. It seems like the intention to escalate the programme to higher grades is there as Ms Mdladlamba, Subject Advisor for Maths Intermediate and Senior Phase in Sterkspruit said, “Hopefully we gonna make it up to grade 9.” To encourage participation by more learners, teachers have made a concerted effort to rope in parents particularly in supporting their children at these competitions. Teachers also go the extra mile by proving extra tutoring lessons for all learners even over the weekends.

Invited as the guest speaker, David Sekao from Department of Basic Education(DBE), who is responsible for Mathematics in the general education and training band, was particularlyinterestedin this quiz because “it provides learners with the requisite skills for them to be able to do Mathematics well in the Higher Grades”. He also highlighted the benefits of this programme saying, “Our Curriculum Policy is very strong on Mental Calculations and the development of number sense.  It equips learners with those skills that they will require general proficiency and number sense is a platform for learners to understand abstract mathematics as they move on with their studies at higher levels.” 

It was a nail biting and tough competition for Grade 6 learners, as three sessions were conducted to determine who will occupy the third spot, ultimately Mthatha came out victorious.

Each learner received a medal, certificate and a maths booklet sponsored by Shooter and Shooter, with their maths teachers each given a maths dictionary which was sponsored by Oxford Publishers for participation. The top three winners from each grade were as follows:

Grade 6

1^st Place:  Max Hawkes from Port Elizabeth

2^nd Place:  Afika Qezo from Mthatha

3^rd Place:  Mangqesha Kwakho from Libode

Grade 7

1^st Place:  Nana Abebresheh from Grahamstown

2^nd Place: Jessica Harty from Grahamstown

3^rd Place:  Vian Schoombie from Uitenhage

First place winners received tablets and covers which was sponsored by Manderson Hotel.  Second place winners received a tablet which was sponsored by Coega, and third place winners received scientific calculators, a maths set and pencil crayons.