Regional educators crafting plan to tackle Maths
Efforts are underway to improve performance in Mathematics across the region
Efforts are underway to improve performance in Mathematics across the region

WEEKS after the Guyana Government unveiled a plan to tackle the poor performances of students here in Mathematics the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) recently hosted a two-day workshop for mathematics education stakeholders from across the Region.Participants reviewed the current status of Mathematics education in the Caribbean, identified current good practices, and came up with strategies to improve students’ mastery of the subject.

In the Caribbean, pass rates in Mathematics at the primary and secondary level are an area of concern. Pass rates typically do not exceed 60% in any national or regional assessments. Against this background, in 2014, CDB supported research into instructional practices of mathematics teachers in the Eastern Caribbean.

The study, conducted by the School of Education, Cave Hill Campus, University of the West Indies, aimed to identify solutions to improve teacher-effectiveness and student-learning in mathematics. The recently held workshop is a continuation of those efforts.

Taking into account the results of the research study, workshop participants developed a draft comprehensive Framework for Action and Results in Mathematics Education (FAME), which is meant to inform ongoing policy reforms, and support concrete interventions in Mathematics education across the region. Upon completion, the FAME will be presented to the CARICOM Council of Human and Social Development and the OECS Council of Ministers of Education for adoption and implementation by CARICOM and OECS member countries.

“This FAME will assist us in monitoring and evaluating Mathematics education in our countries and region. It will help us to take a multi-pronged approach, it will help us guide systematic and mutually reinforcing strategies in curriculum policy, teacher preparation, effective instructional practice, and accountability for learning in Math,” said Patricia McKenzie, Vice-President (Operations), CDB.

Ronald Jones, Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Barbados, noted that the workshop provided an opportunity for experts in the education sector to build consensus on actions and strategies to improve Mathematics teaching and learning. “We have recognised for a long time in our region that Mathematics teaching and understanding and appreciation has not been at the level that we would want to be. This exercise will give us…an opportunity to refine our whole idea and thought of taking mathematics teaching forward,” he said. The workshop was held from November 15 to 16, 2016, at the Hilton Barbados Resort. Participants included Chief Education Officers, Curriculum Officers with responsibility for Mathematics, teacher educators in Mathematics, principals, teachers and students from across the Caribbean.

Earlier this month Minister of State, Joseph Harmon announced that government was spending some $48M for emergency intervention to strengthen the teaching capacity of Mathematics at the Grade 6 level in public schools. Students across the countries have been struggling for years with Mathematics and government in recent months has deemed this a crisis which needs fixing immediately. President David Granger had mandated Minister of Education Dr Rupert Roopnaraine to meet with technical officers and staff of his ministry to find solutions to address the issue.

Over the years, Guyana has failed to achieve acceptable pass rates in Mathematics, a critical core subject. This year the Ministry of Education has contracted the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) to conduct the examination for the Grade Six students here and it was discovered that the different assessment illustrated the deficiencies in the system. According to Harmon, several recommendations were made and approved and those include the training of teachers in content and methodology; facilitating fortnightly cluster meetings in all regions; the recruitment of Mathematics coordinators and monitors; the training of officers and school administrators to supervise the teaching of Mathematics; the preparing and administering a diagnostic assessment of pupils in the hinterland regions before training; the enhancement of public relations, parental involvement in the education of the children and the acquisition of support material for the students.

“Having had a very thorough discussion on the matter, Cabinet approved the proposed plan and agreed to the allocation of a sum of $48, 682,690 for the expenditure and strategy that will deal with the issues before and up to the end of December 2016 and the allocation of a further sum to be spent on the strategy in 2017 and going forward,” said Harmon.

He explained that preparatory work has already started and full implementation was pending Cabinet’s approval and release of funds. As part of the reform process teachers will be recruited from overseas to fill the existing gaps. “…as you know, over the years many of our good teachers have actually migrated to the Caribbean and as far as Botswana in some cases and certainly once we provide the correct environment…and most of them have started coming back…we believe we can attract some of those teachers who had left in the first case.”

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