William Smith made maths accessible for many. His legacy should drive us to prioritise maths and science education for the nation’s future.
Even years later, the mention of the words “matric” and “mathematics” will bring some people out in a sweat of remembered terror. For others, there were two words which smoothed those fevered and worried brows.
Those words were: William Smith.
The famed TV teacher – with energetic earnest face and chalk and ink-stained fingers – helped many over their primal fear of numbers.
Those Saturday mornings in front of the TV, with pens, books and paper strewn by, will be remembered by many as what made the difference between pass and fail in the school-leaving exams.
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And for that contribution to the South African community alone, Smith deservingly received The Order of the Baobab from President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2019 for his services to maths and science.
His easy style, his patience and his gift in making the seemingly complex simple will have also improved the general understanding of numbers in the broader community.
It is important that the legacy of Smith not be wasted: maths and science education – which is the foundation of logic – is not only vital to improving the wellbeing of the nation as a whole, it can help us see through illogical charlatans in all walks of life.
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