The new maths teaching proposal doesn’t add up

There is merit in the argument that people who obtain their degrees from public universities – though they may pay fees – should acknowledge that assistance in life by putting something back into the community.

Such “community service” arrangements – as currently happens with medical and veterinary science graduates – are also an effective way of improving staffing in our various health institutions.

That is clearly the rationale behind the proposal by the department of science and technology that graduates in mathematics and science be compelled to carry out a similar community service to the doctors, teaching in schools where there are no, or few, teaching skills in those fields.

While this is definitely one way to improve the quality of maths and science instruction across the country – which is abysmal, to be kind – there are a number of comments that can be made about the idea.

Firstly, it smacks of the command economy-style Stalinism of various other existing and planned ANC social engineering projects. It may well push more into the private system, where universities are thriving. And, how about improving salaries of teachers to attract more young people and maths and science whizzes?

Think of it as an investment, not an expense.