A Ghanaian Mathematician and the winner of the World’s Most Interesting Mathematician 2024 Award, Dr Angela Tabiri, said every aspect of life revolved around Mathematics,“so, the way we teach maths must change”. 

“For instance, when a teacher comes to the class and decides to use the “koko” seller to treat a topic on volume, it will generate interest in learners because they can associate themselves with the example,” she said. 

Dr Tabiri further described drivers as very good mathematicians because before a driver joins a busy major road, he or she first calculates the velocity of oncoming vehicles to ensure that an accident does not occur.

The celebrated mathematician was speaking in an exclusive interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra. 

Challenges

Although she acknowledged that maths could be challenging sometimes, constant practice after normal class hours, as well as group learning facilitate easy understanding of the subject.

She said another difficulty was that most students were afraid to ask questions, sometimes not because of their fault, but the fear of some teachers who responded harshly when students asked for clarifications on topics they did not understand.

“But by asking questions in a maths class, you can get a lot of support from the teacher and even your peers,” Dr Tabiri said and, therefore, encouraged pupils and students to always ask questions on topics they did not understand.

She also advised learners, especially girls, to be confident and not allow anyone to intimidate them because of their background.

Profile

Dr Tabiri, 35, who is also a research associate with interest in Quantum Algebra at the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) Ghana, is the winner of The World Most Interesting Mathematician Award 2024, beating 16 other fascinating mathematicians in the world in The Big Internet Math-Off competition, hosted by the Aperiodical.

She is currently the Academic Manager for Girls in Mathematical Sciences Programme (GMSP) of AIMS, which nurtures the talents of senior high school girls in the country to unlock their potential in mathematical sciences.

The award winner is also the organiser of Science Slam Ghana, a science communication event where researchers present their work to lay audience in fun and engaging ways.

Dr Tabiri said she grew up in a deprived community and that she was passionate to also help children from similar backgrounds to excel.

“Hard work pays”

Touching on the award, Dr Tabiri said it was fulfilling to know that “hard work pays”, adding that it had also brought a lot of responsibility on her to inspire the young people, especially in Africa to believe that they could also win international laurels.

“So it is a win for me, but also a win for all because I am going to roll out new initiatives that will also support students to make maths interesting,” she said.

The new initiatives include how to teach basic concepts such as addition in high schools.

The award winner said as the Head of the Postgraduate Programme in Mathematics, in charge of the training of teachers at the institute, she was focused on practical ways of making maths easier, simpler and interesting for students.

Dr Tabiri said as part of implementing such initiatives, she was liaising with alumni of the institute to form clubs in their respective schools where she could share packs of educational materials on simplifying the teaching of the subject with them.

She explained that the objective of the institute was to bring together Africa’s brightest students in Mathematics, where students throughout the world meet virtually for the programme, fully funded by governments and other donors.