Uganda mathematical society seeks more government funding

In an attempt to boost science and technology, the Uganda Mathematical Society (UMS) has asked the government for more funding, arguing that their activities are financially demanding.
Speaking at the 43th National Mathematics Teachers’ conference, an event that attracted more than 300 schools with at least 10,000 students and pupils in attendance, the society’s president Dr Joseph Ssebuliba said, “ The biggest Challenge actually we face is funding. Usually, we have conflicting interests where by the conflicting interests you find that the society needs these funds and some of these funds despite the fact that we attempt to make applications for grants and indeed some grants are secured like we have been with CPA but we realized that the nature of the activities are financially demanding.”

According to him, the society usually suffers financial challenges when it sends contestants international events and are sometimes forced to leave some students behind.

“When it comes to going for these participations at the international scene, of course, we get support from the ministry of education, we get support from the schools but sometimes, they also get overwhelmed and sometimes you face a scenario whereby if the tickets are so expensive, then you are left helpless. A team that is required of six Ugandan students you may find yourself going with a smaller number like in the scenario of this year the team that we took to Japan. Tickets were over $2,500 and you can imagine a team of six students plus three officials, team leader and then the deputy leader for the welfare and maybe an observer. We needed a lamp sum of over $15,000. It may sound small but if you have no extra hand and you have to rely probably on the support of schools and on the support of parents, they get overwhelmed and even the financial challenges,” he said ahead of the International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO) slated for July 2024.

The IMO is the most prestigious mathematical competition in the world. The first IMO was held in Romania in 1959. It has since been held annually, except in 1980. More than 100 countries participate with each country expected to send a team of up to six students, plus one team leader, one deputy leader and observers. 

He encouraged more girls to join the cotrst to ensure gender parity.
To inspire the girls, UMS has introduced Ms Mathematics for Primary and Secondary level. The recent competitions saw Miss Valeria Maria Nanyonjo, a primary seven pupil at Namagunga Primary Boarding School, Miss Kamya Lucille, a senior four student of Mt St. Mary’s College Namagunga and Miss Nalule Pearl Mwebaza crowned Miss Mathematics primary, O and A level respectively.