MoE to pump $390m more into math programme

FACED WITH the reality that it will miss the target for achieving 85 per cent mastery in mathematics among grade-four students by next year, the Ministry of Education is this year pumping an additional $390 million into its mathematics programme, taking the Budget for the programme this fiscal year to $440 million.

The increased funding will be used to facilitate the engagement of 120 primary and 26 secondary mathematics coaches along with approximately 50 mathematics resource teachers.

The additional resources will facilitate the implementation of the online mathematics training programme for approximately 4,000 teachers; and support the development and roll-out of a national public education and marketing campaign which the ministry said is critical to changing the culture surrounding the teaching and learning of mathematics.

A portion of the funds will also be used to provide for the development and administration of a diagnostic tool for persons entering teacher-training programmes to be prepared to teach mathematics and facilitate professional development opportunities for mathematics teachers.

Education minister Ronald Thwaites on Wednesday said the Government has changed the target date for achieving 85 per cent mastery in numeracy at grade four to 2018. The education ministry had been pursing a 2015 target date.

"We are far off track to meet the national target of 85 per cent proficiency at grade four by 2015," Thwaites said while announcing that the ministry has restructured the national mathematics programme to make the subject the success of every student a non-negotiable priority.

Mastery at grade four was 59 per cent of the cohort for 2013.

Primary literacy by 2015

In the meantime, Thwaites said the country is on track to achieve the target of 100 per cent literacy at the primary level by 2015.

The minister said the Government is determined to ensure "there are no more illiterate school leavers".

Turning to the secondary system, Thwaites said the Government has set a target for 85 per cent of the age cohort to sit CSEC mathematics by 2017.

Approximately 50 per cent of a given grade 11 cohort sits mathematics annually.

Thwaites said the ministry will be deploying 146 mathematics coaches to primary and secondary schools.

The minister told parliamentarians that the coaches will be responsible of raising teaching standards and teaching achievement in mathematics.

- D.L.