Professor Mark Appiah, President of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research College of Science and Technology (CCST), who made the call, said mathematics was an essential part of human thought and logic, and very integral to managing the day to day lives of the people.

Again, mathematical knowledge helps pupils and students to understand the content of other subjects such as science, social studies and others.

It was, therefore, important that educational authorities and teachers worked to demystify the study of mathematics to encourage pupils and students to have interest and study it well.

Prof. Appiah made the call when he presented quantities of mathematics textbooks to the pupils of Odormitor D/A Basic School in the Biakoye District of the Oti region.

The books were made up of the Common Core mathematics programme, which is the new curriculum for the JHS one, and Concise mathematics which covers the existing curriculum for the JHS two and three.

Prof. Appiah urged the school authorities to place mathematics in an important and unique position by ensuring that math curriculum for each stage was covered by the pupils.

He said the donation of the books was part of his commitment to help address the lack of textbooks in the school, which is also known as the ‘Lake Side University.’

It was also driven by the desire to support schools in the Biakoye, the district that gave him a good basic education.

Mr Bright Bedy, Headmaster, and Mr Amfoh William Kwaku, the Parent Teacher Association Chairman of the school, expressed their profound appreciation to Prof Mark Appiah for coming out to support the school with the textbooks.

They said the books would go a long way to support the teaching and learning of mathematics in school and help improve the academic performance of the pupils.