To revive the study of Mathematics in Nigeria, the Federal Government should declare a four-year national emergency in Mathematics, Director/Chief Executive Executive Officer of the National Mathematical Centre, Prof. Adewale Solarin, has said.
The emergency plan should also include a N108bn bailout for the over 54,000 public primary schools in the country and placing the NMC in the Presidency, while all the private companies in Nigeria should adopt each of the public schools in the country.
He spoke in Abuja during the national olympiads awards ceremony for secondary schools in Nigeria and investiture of first distinguished Fellow of NMC, Prof. Sam Ale, who was also its former Director-General.
According to Solarin, the use of Mathematics to solve electoral puzzle, a feat achieved by Prof. Chike Obi, in the Second Republic, could still be replicated in contemporary Nigeria because “there is Mathematics in everything.”
Solarin said, “The problem is basically for us to have the funds to be able to extend these methods and developing materials for schools. Basically, you know that Maths at the secondary school level is a state affair; education is on the concurrent list. So it takes the state to take interest in the activities of NMC to be able to reach out to the schools.
“If you see the video on mental arithmetic, the mental maths programme, in a basic public primary school of 200 students and 20 teachers, will cost about N2m. So, if you can now multiply it by the number of primary schools in Nigeria which is over 54,000, you will be talking about N108bn. When you are talking of billions, it means something must be done concerning the education budget.
“The private sectors and others should be involved and that is one of the reasons we are pleading that every company in this country should adopt each of the 54,000 public primary schools. In the alternative, we should declare national emergency on Mathematics like it is done in other countries.
“If we declare national emergency, the National Mathematical Centre should be moved to the Presidency and funds will be received from all the various agencies. If the NMC is funded for about 3-4 years, what we are saying now will be completely out.”
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