African Numerals System

Background and more about African numerals.

Numerals are symbols which represent numbers in mathematics in language in culture. African Numerals are new innovative symbols invented to represent numbers by Amadu Hudu, a teacher, a development oriented and a Dagomba by tribe in Tamale in the Northern Region of Ghana. African Numerals were initially known and registered as Ghanaian numerals in Accra, Ghana. Later on, more research was conducted on it and it was established that the numerals are suitable for the enhancement of teaching and learning of African mathematics, science, technology, language, culture, education and others, hence it was revised and registered as African numerals.

Studies and survey were conducted among thousands of people comprising literates, illiterates, women, men, young, old, children and the visual impaired and the results indicated that majority of the respondents understood African numerals faster, smarter and easily than most of the conventional numerals in the system. It was said and repeated that there were not symbols simpler, easier and self-explanatory like these invented African numerals. Fortunately, it is established that tribes that took part of the African numerals survey understood the African numerals faster more than expected. Most Africans used to tally to represent numbers (numerals). Others were writing small vertical lines as numbers and numerals. Some Africans could not even write any symbol to represent any number (numeral). It was revealed and observed that most Africans could not write numerals locally unless they use the conventional numerals such as Roman numerals and Arabic numerals.

Currently, most literates in Africa are widely using the Arabic and the Roman numerals in their daily learning and other transactions.

Though both the illiterates and the literates count numbers orally in their local dialects, they cannot write the numbers practically or physically, they know the numerals abstractly or conceptually.

Some children at the lower primary schools do dropout of schools because of finding it difficult to write symbols to represent numbers in an easy manner in the conventional ways. Many girls fear and dislike mathematics in schools because they could not initially write the Arabic numerals easily and amicably at the early stage. Girls and children who normally cope up with mathematics to some level in their lives, later on dropout of school because they find it difficult to go further with the conventional numerals. Children who are intelligent in the formal schools in Africa do perform well sometimes when supported, but indeed struggle and spend so much time in learning the conventional numerals, hence dislike mathematics and science.

Currencies or Bank notes in Africa are identified and recognized by the illiterates through the color or the physical features and not because of the conventional numerals on the Bank notes. The illiterates are sometimes cheated because they do not know the difference or the value of the conventional numerals on the Currencies/Bank notes when the colors are the same. Many Banks in Africa use object symbols on Bank notes just for its recognition and identification, but still, the illiterates and children find it difficult to identify and recognize the Currencies/Bank notes.

These invented African numerals are easy for children to identify and recognize. Both the illiterates and the literates on the African continent take shorter time to understand the African numerals. It takes a shorter time to write African numerals and very easy to identify and recognize when written or printed on sample Bank notes and on anything. Both the illiterates and literates identify and recognize African numerals faster than most of the current numerals in the system according to study conducted. The African numerals will complement the conventional numerals in the formal and non – formal sectors to make teaching, learning and lives simple and easy for the Africans and to help speed up the development of many nations in terms of mathematics, science, communication and technology.

There are four major levels or classes of the use of the African numerals. These are; (1) Primary level, (2) Secondary level, (3) tertiary level and (4) the advanced level. Right now, Africans can only use the primary and secondary levels, while the tertiary and the advanced levels of the African numerals can be used in the developed nations such as USA, UK, Russia, France and China. Germany, Japan, Canada, North and South Koreas, Israel and Iran.

African Numerals System contains African numerals with its series of innovative educational programmes that make teaching and learning of mathematics simple and easy at the lower primary in Africa. There are other programmes under these African Numerals System which are aiding development faster for society’s betterment. These programmes consist science and technological innovations, research, manufacturing, tourism and others.

Mission of African Numerals System

Enhancing teaching and learning in African basic schools in order to improve upon the livelihoods of the beneficiaries for the development and betterment of an African society.

Vision of African Numerals System

Freeing Africa from poverty, hunger and illiteracy for its development and betterment through Africa Numerals with its innovative programmes.

Major goal of the African Numerals System.

The major goal of the African Numerals System is to improve upon teaching and learning of mathematics in African basic schools, enhance science and technology in the manufacturing industry for the continent socio - economic and cultural development and betterment.

Below are the major objectives of the African Numerals System.

·       To help Africa Central Banks improve on the features of the Currencies/Bank notes for easy identification and recognition by the illiterates and literates.

·       To help ease mathematical challenges in the basic schools in Africa.

·       To help mitigate the high rate of illiteracy on the African continent for a speedy development.

·       To help preserve and promote the African culture (African languages).

·       To help speed up production through science & technology; link up education with development in more practical manner.

·       To complement the conventional numerals in our educational system in order to make teaching and learning easy in the African schools and in the non-formal sectors.

·       To manufacture African numerals wall clocks and other products to enable earn income to support children education and the non- formal education.

·       To help improve the African educational system in more practical manner for the continent’s development and betterment.

·       To promote tourism in order to attract tourists to our identified interested sites to enable earn income for our needy children education and the non-formal education in the rural communities.