WHAT IS OMEDS?
OMEDS BACKGROUND
Organisation Of Mathematics Education In Disadvantaged Schools - OMEDS, established by three high school teachers (viz. Scelo Bhengu; Patrick Bait Malimela and Siphiwe Eric Mpungose) was born of the glaring underachievement in the subjects related to the scarce skills in South Africa, namely, Mathematics, Physical Science, Life Sciences and Accounting. The founders have, over the years, observing with poignancy learners with visible potential failing dismally to master the subjects. Amid a number of socio-economic infestations such as poverty, poorly-resourced schools and the poor quality of Mathematics and Science education which in many cases can be linked to un- or under-qualified educators, drug abuse, teenage pregnancy and crime, to name a few, these learners have become the victims of the circumstances. This situation has led to the nationwide drought of black engineers, medical doctors and accountants. In a nutshell, the country is in a state of education- borne crisis. The main recommendations that followed after OMEDS analysis in a string of bad results in Mathematics; Physical Science, Life Sciences and Accounting, include:
☆ The formulation of emergency strategies to identify and nurture learners with potential in abovementioned subjects, as early as in grade 10.
☆ Urgent action steps are needed to ensure a drastic improvement in the number of core grade 10 - 12 Mathematics, Physical Science and Accounting pass.
☆ Drastic measures should be taken to increase the number of qualified Mathematics, Physical Science and Accounting teachers.
☆ Continued professional development efforts should be maximized to improve the skills level of existing teachers – this to ensure effective teaching of the Mathematics, Science and Accounting syllabi.
Organisation Of Mathematics Education In Disadvantaged Schools - OMEDS, provides assistance to both teachers and learners that are coming from poverty-stricken families attending in disadvantaged and under-resourced schools. Our main goal is to assist underprivileged learners that are excelling in counting to realise their goals despite coming from humble beginnings.
Organisation for Mathematics Education in Disadvantaged Schools (OMEDS) is a registered Non-Profit Organization (Reg no. 2016/403649/08) aiming at bringing about a transformative change in the teaching and learning of Mathematics, Physical Science, Life Sciences (Biology) and Accounting in disadvantaged and under-resourced schools.
OMEDS VISION
It’s the attainment of the seemingly elusive excellence and high achievement in Mathematics, Physical Science, Life Sciences (Biology) and Accounting despite the negating individual backgrounds.
OMEDS MISSION
OMEDS seeks to empower and equip disadvantaged schools; learners and teachers in order to deliver world-class teaching that yields world-class black engineers, scientists and accountants.
OMEDS OBJECTIVES
> To provide assistance to all achieving learners so to realise their dreams, regardless of their poor background.
> To instil and nurture love for Mathematics; Physical Science Life Sciences (Biology) and Accounting to all learners in under-resourced schools.
> To provide an enabling intervention/program to potential grade 10 – 12 learners, so that they would exit the schooling system with A symbols in Mathematics, Physical Science Life Sciences (Biology) and Accounting.
> To harness their skills in Mathematics, Physical Science, Life Sciences (Biology) and Accounting.
> To produce learners with high academic achievement who are responsible, committed and focused.
> To assist OMEDS learners to be able to apply the epistemological content acquired from these three subjects in real life.
> To breach the gap between the school system and tertiary education in order to attain a smooth transition from one system to the other as the adaptation and fusing of the two systems remain a challenge that also causes drop outs of many black students at tertiary level.
