I am involved with several mathematics olympiad programmes.
Siyanqoba Regional Olympiad Training Programme
The Siyanqoba Regional Olympiad Training Programme is a mathematics olympiad training programme that is sponsored by the Department of Science and Technology and organised nationally by the South African Mathematics Foundation. The programme has regional centres across South Africa. The Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics at the University of Pretoria is one of three regional centres in Gauteng, the other two being:
Tshwane University of Technology (contact Dr Maggie Aphane at AphaneM@tut.ac.za), and
University of the Witwatersrand (contact Dr Belinda Huntley at dr.belindahuntley@gmail.com, or Dr Jonathan Kariv at lordvirak@gmail.com).
The programme is targeted at mathematically talented high school learners who have an interest in mathematics. It is not a remedial programme and is not intended as help for learners who struggle with mathematics and seek extra instruction on school work.
Classes are presented, free of charge, to junior learners (Grades 8 and 9) and senior learners (Grades 10 to 12) at the Hatfield Campus of the University of Pretoria. Exceptional Grade 7 learners may also participate in the programme but with the knowledge that some of the content may be too advanced for them. Learners are taught mathematics olympiad problem solving techniques by coaches who themselves have a strong background in mathematics olympiads. A selection test must first be passed to be admitted to the programme.
Classes are held online during 2021 due to the Covid lockdown.
South African Mathematics Team Competition
The South African Mathematics Team Competition (SAMTC), again organised by the South African Mathematics Foundation and sponsored by Casio and the Actuarial Society of South Africa, is a mathematics olympiad competition for high school learners. The competition is usually held in September of each year. Teams consisting of ten learners get to compete against other teams from across Southern Africa. The competition consist of two papers:
First there is an individual paper with fifteen questions, worth a total of 100 marks, that gets answered by learners in their individual capacity. These questions are roughly at the level of the second round of the South African Mathematics Olympiad. The marks of the ten learners on each team are added to give a total mark out of 1000 marks for the individual paper of that team.
A team paper that contains ten rather difficult questions worth 100 marks each, for a total of 1000 marks, then gets written in a team format, with learners able to interact with one another and discuss their ideas and solutions.
The University of Pretoria is responsible for entering teams on behalf of the Gauteng North region. Participants are invited based on their performance in the second round of the South African Mathematics Olympiad, along with their performance in other olympiad competitions and programmes such as the Siyanqoba Regional Olympiad Training Programme.
South African Tertiary Mathematics Olympiad
The South African Tertiary Mathematics Olympiad (SATMO), also organised by the South African Mathematics Foundation, is a mathematics olympiad competition for undergraduate university students. The competition is usually held in August of each year. Students are given two hours to answer a paper consisting of twenty olympiad style questions that require some knowledge of undergraduate mathematics to answer. Universities from across South Africa participate in this event.