Speakers
Dr. Duano Sapta Nusantara
He has served since 2018 to present as Research Assistant in Research Collaboration Team of Graduate in Mathematics Education at the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Sriwijaya and reviewer for journal on Mathematics Education. He is a member of several editorial teams, among others editorial team for Journal of Innovation in Mathematics (non-SINTA), an Indonesian journal. He published 59 papers in international reputable journals and National Accredited Journal, 14 papers in the proceedings of international conferences and authored 10 books. He was also granted patents on 30 teaching and learning material that includes videos. Since 2015 he conducted 24 workshops and webinars amongst others Workshop on Lesson Study for Learning Community, Webinar Indonesian Mathematics Educators Society, Data Analysis, Mathematics Modelling and Assessment in Realistic Mathematics among others. Amongst other achievements, he was an Invited Speaker for PhD Talk at Deakin University, a public university in Australia in July 2024 |
Prof. Samukelisiwe Khumalo
Prof. Khumalo is a recipient of the 2024 Teaching Excellence Certificate Award from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, as well as several other awards from the School of Education of the university for excellence and service in Teaching and Learning. She was involved and participated in the Council on Higher Education (CHE) reference group charged with the responsibility for developing the Qualification Standards for Initial Teacher Education in South Africa. Currently, she is a member of the UMALUSI Qualifications Standards Committee of Council (QSC). An alumna of the HERS-SA Academy, Samukelisiwe completed the esteemed Women in Leadership Programme in 2024. She also completed a Senior Management Development Programme at Stellenbosch Business School. She has published numerous articles in both South African and international journals and contributed book chapters in several publications. Prof. Khumalo has also supervised several Master’s and PhD research students to successful completion.
Prof. Khumalo’s current research focuses on strategies, techniques, development, support practices, and characterizations of systems of student academic success in higher education. She is passionate about exploring the challenges and supporting rural students’ experiences and success in university. She has led several research projects as a principal investigator, including one funded by the South African Council for Educators (SACE). Currently, she is a principal investigator for ongoing research projects, including a 3-year Student Academic Success project focusing on identification and supporting students who are excelling academically funded by the National Research Foundation (NRF). In May 2025, she was recognized by the Golden Key Honour Society Southern Africa as one of 300 of South Africa’s most influential leaders
Prof. Riana Roux
Professor Riana Roux is a graph theorist from Stellenbosch University. She received her PhD from Stellenbosch University in Operations Research focussing on the theoretical underpinnings of facility location. Her research focusses on protection in graphs which includes domination related parameters (a model for facility location), pursuit-evasion games (chasing a robber on a graph) and how solutions to these problems relate to one another. She is also passionate about sharing mathematics with students and encouraging them to be creative in mathematics.
Prof. Duncan Mhakure
Associate Professor Mhakure is an international scholar who has collaborated with research partners and/or agencies in Brazil, Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, Norway, and South Africa. In addition, in the past five years, he has been involved with the Erasmus+ postgraduate mobility students between UCT and the University of Stavanger in Norway. He has supervised many postgraduate students in mathematics education. His social responsiveness and research activities are focussed on improving the teaching and learning of mathematics in schools located in disadvantaged communities through school-based in-service programmes for mathematics teachers. Internationally, Associate Professor Mhakure is South Africa’s representative in the International Mathematics Modelling Challenge (IMMC) and is a member of the SIMIODE Challenge Using Differential Equations Modelling (SCUDEM). In addition he belongs to the following professional associations: African Regional Congress of ICMI on Mathematics Education (AFRICME); Association of Mathematics Education of South Africa (AMESA); Athens Institutes for Education and Research (ATINER); International Congress on Mathematics Education (ICME); International Commission on Mathematical Instruction (ICMI); International Community of Teachers of Mathematical Modelling and Applications (ICTMA); Mathematics Education and Society (MES); Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME); and South Africa Association for Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education (SAARMSTE), among others.
Dr. Louise Fullard
Currently, she serves as a Deputy Chief Education Specialist (DCES) at the Mpumalanga Department of Education’s head office, responsible for e-learning in the province. She holds a doctoral degree in International and Comparative Education, specialising in international education transformation, and has been recognised as a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society.
In 2019, Fullard secured first place in the “Excellence in ICT Enhanced Technology” category at the National Teaching Awards. She was also awarded third place nationally in the Excellence in Secondary Schools category.
In 2020, she received a Global Teacher Award. She emphasises the importance of understanding and embracing the Fifth Industrial Revolution (5IR) epoch in education. With an intentional focus on AI-driven teaching and learning, she aims to equip teachers with the skills necessary to navigate a rapidly changing world.
Mr. Sibiya Thulani Whity
Mr. Sibiya Thulani Whity serves as the Senior Education Specialist for Mathematics FET at Ehlanzeni District in Mpumalanga province. He holds a Bachelor of Education degree in Mathematics Education from the University of Johannesburg and is currently pursuing an Honours degree with MANCOSA, focusing on educators’ readiness to adopt the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) in Maths Science Technology Academy (MSTA) schools in Mpumalanga. His professional experience includes roles as a mathematics teacher at Lomahasha Secondary School, Head of Department for Mathematics at Shinyukane Secondary School, and Deputy Principal at Sophungane Secondary, an MST Academy linked school. In 2024, Mr.Sibiya represented South Africa and Mpumalanga province in an international mathematics program in China. In 2025, he was recognized as the overall best teacher in South Africa at the National Teaching Awards.
Panel Discussions
Panel 1
Nkhensani Duba
Chair: Nkhensani Duba
Title: The alarming number of public schools that no longer offer Mathematics as a subject.
Over 460 public schools in South Africa have stopped offering Mathematics in the Further Education and Training (FET) phase (Grades 10–12)
Panellists: Past AMESA Presidents Manare Setati, Dr. Nico Govendor, Elspeth Khembo, Alwyn Olivier and Ray Duba
Panel 2
Prof. Zingiswa Jojo
Chair: Prof Zingiswa Jojo
Title: Theme of the 2026 Congress
Breaking Barriers Through Innovation: Towards Vision 2030 & Beyond
Panellists : Plenary Speakers : Dr. Duano Sapta Nusantara, Prof Duncan Mhakure, Prof Samukelisiwe Khumalo, Dr Louise Fullard and Mr. Sibiya Thulani