The African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) Cameroon today, March 14, joined the rest of the world to celebrate the second edition of the International Day of Mathematics (IDM) in Limbe. SONARA College, Saker Baptist College, Nguea Lottin College and the Government Bilingual High School (GBHS) Limbe clashed in a Mini- Olympiad while enriching discussions on Mathematics emerged from the Panel Discussion.
Opening the ceremony, the Centre President of AIMS-Cameroon, Professor Mama Foupouagnigni, introduced AIMS-Cameroon as one of the six Centres of Excellence in the AIMS network in Africa, which ensures excellent African Mathematics students are trained by excellent teachers, coming from all over the world, to address development problems. After explaining that the International Day of Mathematics was celebrated on March 14th because the day represents the popular Mathematics “Pi” sign, Prof Mama said Mathematics is part of our culture; Mathematics is human activity; Mathematics is a tool box which is used to find solutions to daily life problems and Mathematics is essential for the development of every technology.
“Development is about mastery of Science and Technology and Mathematics. In general, Mathematical Sciences happen to be the backbone of Science and Technology. This means that if you want to master Science and Technology you have to master Mathematics. It also means that if you want to develop a country, citizens of that country have to master Mathematics. This is why Mathematics is so important that it deserves to be celebrated worldwide,” stated the Centre President of AIMS-Cameroon. For him, no country has ever developed without the mastery of Mathematics and that Mathematics opens to the most highly paid jobs in the world right now.
“With Maths, you can embark on high-income careers in computer science, data science, finance and artificial intelligence, among others,” concluded Prof. Mama. Organised under AIMS-Cameroon’s Teacher Training Program in partnership with the South West Association of Mathematics Teachers (SWAMT) and the Association des Professeurs de Mathématiques du Sud Ouest (APMSO), the IDM celebration also gave the students the opportunity to learn that without Mathematics there is no life.