UEW Champions Inclusive, Practical Mathematics Education at Transformative Bootcamp
The University of Education, Winneba (UEW) has launched a Mathematics Bootcamp to revolutionise the teaching and learning of the subject in Ghana.
In partnership with STEMi Makers Africa, the bootcamp promotes diversity, inquiry-based learning and the real-world application of mathematical concepts through the Department of Mathematics Education at UEW.
The intensive training, held at the UEW campus, brought together over 70 educators and 30 adolescent girls from senior high schools in Winneba to reimagine mathematics as an inclusive, empowering and practical tool for lifelong problem-solving. With the theme “Diversity and Inclusivity in Mathematics Education,” the programme combined theory, hands-on activities and digital modelling to inspire a new era of learner-centred mathematics teaching.
The Chair of the programme, Prof. Christopher Adjei Okpoti, an esteemed professor of mathematics and mathematics education, emphasised the urgent need to demystify mathematics.
“We should decentralise mathematics and make it practical. Mathematics is everywhere in our homes, in economics, in daily transactions,” he said. He called for educators to critically rethink how they teach to foster deeper understanding and reduce students’ fear of the subject.
Prof. Okpoti reflected on the powerful impact of practical activities in attracting student interest and building confidence in mathematics. He challenged teachers to abandon rote learning methods and adopt inquiry-based strategies. “The classroom is not for the teacher; it is for the student. You are the facilitator. Let the learners take ownership of their understanding,” he urged.
The bootcamp culminated in a renewed commitment to continuing the initiative. Prof. Okpoti announced plans for follow-up visits to schools to ensure implementation and continuity.
Dr. Sylvester Ali Frimpong, Head of the Department of Mathematics Education at UEW, underscored the institution’s commitment to transformative, inclusive mathematics education. “Together, let us champion a new era of mathematics that reflects diversity, inspires curiosity and drives equitable learning outcomes,” he urged.
Prof. Peter Akayuure, Project Lead, noted that the initiative aims to reshape how mathematics is taught and experienced nationwide. “We are equipping teachers and students with strategies that make mathematics real, relevant and rewarding. The goal is to shift from abstract teaching to methods grounded in daily life,” he explained.
The collaborative partner, Dr. Dorcas Attuabea Addo, Project Manager for STEMi Makers Africa, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to empowering societies through STEM. “This bootcamp aligns with our vision of inclusion and sustainable development through quality STEM education. We are excited to collaborate with UEW to reimagine Maths as a tool for empowerment and innovation,” she said.
The bootcamp was brought to life with engaging sessions from facilitators like Prof. Michael Johnson Nabie, who led inquiry-based activities rooted in real-life concepts such as calculating areas of shapes using manipulatives and connecting mathematical ideas through experiential learning. His presentation highlighted how learners arrive at mathematical generalisations through exploration, echoing the philosophy that mathematics should be taught to be understood, not memorised.
Ms. Matilda Sarpong Adusei guided participants through practical group work using manila cards, measuring tools and guided discovery techniques to deepen understanding of core geometrical concepts. Her hands-on sessions connected the area formulas of rectangles, triangles, parallelograms and trapeziums to students’ own discoveries.
In a senior high-level session, Dr. Rufai Sabtiwu guided participants through the intricacies of circle theorems using tactile activities and inquiry-based tasks. Learners measured angles formed by chords and confirmed key mathematical relationships, discovering for themselves that angles subtended by the same chord are always equal, reinforcing understanding through experimentation.
Further advancing real-world relevance, Mr. Michael Edmund Ampiah delivered a data-driven modelling presentation on how to compute electricity bills using linear regression. Participants used Excel to generate equations from utility data and validated them against real-world values, demonstrating the power of mathematics in everyday civic life.
As the curtains closed on a successful first phase, the Mathematics Department of UEW signalled a strong intention to make such bootcamps a recurring feature, nurturing generations of learners who see mathematics not as a burden but as a bridge to a brighter, more analytical future.
