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Durban University of Technology 46AMESA is %u2018Mathematics for a Changing World: Artificial Intelligence, Heritage and Human-centred Futures,%u201d said Dr Mthiyane.Among the keynote speakers were: DUT Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Thandwa Mthembu, who attended as a mathematician; Prof Alfred Msomi; Prof Deonarain Brijlall; Prof Pholoho Morojele, who is the Executive Dean: Faculty of Arts and Design at DUT; and Mr Bongani Simelane, among others.Delivering a thought-provoking analysis on the challenges facing Mathematics education in society, Prof Mthembu took a deep dive into the disparity between South Africa%u2019s excellence in other areas and its struggles in Mathematics, highlighting the need for improvement in this critical field.%u201cSouth Africa prides itself on being an exceptional nation, often comparing favourably to other countries on the continent. However, when it comes to Mathematics education, a crucial cornerstone of development, the country falls short. Despite the politicians%u2019 aspirations for greatness, South Africa%u2019s performance in Mathematics is underwhelming, highlighting a disconnect between ambition and reality,%u201d said Prof Mthembu.Prof Deonarain Brijlall%u2019s presentation on %u2018Mathematics for a Changing World: Artificial Intelligence, Heritage and Human-centred Futures%u2019 brought a fresh perspective to the Mathematics community. His plenary talk, which proposed an alternative approach to teaching Mathematics, emphasised its significance in driving social, economic and technological progress, both locally and globally, and sparked valuable discussions on rethinking Mathematics education for a rapidly evolving world.%u201cMathematics student performance has been recognised for decades as a problem in society. This is the case in schools and higher education institutions, especially at the undergraduate level. It is thought that if one understands how students think when engaging in Mathematics activities then one might be able to improve on ways of making the learning of Mathematics more meaningful,%u201d said Prof Brijall.Submissions were then presented by academics, district officials and other professionals, teachers and students across KwaZulu-Natal. The call was made to include research papers that are original research findings, theoretical discussions, systematic reviews and case studies, as well as poster presentations, visual presentations of innovative projects and research. There were also working groups, panels and roundtables, which entailed discussions on critical issues and emerging trends in the teaching and learning of Mathematics.Thubelihle Dumakude/Simangele Zuma/Waheeda PetersSouth Africa prides itself on being an exceptional nation, often comparing favourably to other countries on the continent. However, when it comes to Mathematics education, a crucial cornerstone of development, the country falls short. Despite the politicians%u2019 aspirations for greatness, South Africa%u2019s performance in Mathematics is underwhelming, highlighting a disconnect between ambition and reality. %u2013 PROF THANDWA MTHEMBU