By Bronwyn Gerretsen

Next to the Harry Potter books, 12-year-old Tyamo Okosun's favourite reading material is theoretical physics.

And his younger brother, Anfani, nine, believes that discussions with university students about most things outside of academics are probably "not worthwhile".

But these two boys are not ordinary children. Tyamo is a third-year mechanical engineering student and Anfani is a first-year university student who intends to major in mechanical engineering.

Alternative method of education

Their astounding academic progress is the result of an alternative method of education, which began soon after their conception.

Tyamo and Anfani, who are studying at Purdue University in Indiana, US, addressed education, mathematics and science students at the Edgewood Campus of the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban on Monday.

Tyamo lectured the class on Lift and Drag: Continuing Challenges in Aerodynamics while Anfani presented his study on Outdoor Wood Boilers: A Critical Issue in Environmental Justice.

And with words and phrases such as "emotive barometers of provocations", "particulate matter and microns", and "polynomial modifications", it is clear that the boys not only have the ability to articulate their studies, they also fully understand their subject matter.

Their father, Professor TY Okosun, delivered a presentation entitled Cognitive Stimulation and Consistent Inter- activity in Early Intellectual Foundation: Challenges for the 21st Century.

They fully understand their subject matter

In it he outlined the effect that early stimulation could have on a child from conception to the age of five years, and in this lies the story of his sons' academic success.

With the transmitter of a baby monitor strapped to a tape recorder and the receiver to his pregnant wife's belly, Okosun ensured his unborn children were stimulated with everything from physics and chemistry to biology, philosophy and general conversations at home.

This stimulation continued after their birth where, from as young as two weeks old, he read to them and held discussions with them.

Okosun said he had placed emphasis on physics and astronomy from the age of three months and by the age of one year, they were able to engage him on such issues.

The boys started to say words by six months and had "a package of vocabulary" at the age of one year. "By the time they were six I had gone through most of the courses I teach including maths, science and different levels of philosophy, not just American, but Asian and African... They see everything as connected as they are not taught subjects in segments," he said.

Okosun dispelled notions that his sons were gifted or geniuses.

"This is about hard work and it must be understood that this method of teaching can be applied to any child in the world," he said.

While their weekdays are taken up mostly by classes, Tyamo and Anfani insist they still play and do the things other children their age do.

"I still play on my X-Box until after midnight and go mountain biking," said Tyamo.

But neither of the boys, both of whom come across as grounded and well adjusted, believe that they are at an advantage over other children their age. Okosun agrees, saying that he has merely equipped them with the skills to be able to absorb knowledge faster.

Next year he will release two books in which he explains how any child can be educated in the same way that his sons have been.

bronwyn.gerretsen@inl.co.za

• This article was originally published on page 1 of The Mercury on August 21, 2007

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