Education Ministry Deploys Mathematics Specialists and Coaches

Eighty (80) mathematics specialists and coaches, who have been recruited by the Ministry of Education under the National Mathematics Programme, will be deployed on Monday (September 1).

The disclosure was made by Minister of Education Ronald Thwaites in his Back-to-School broadcast which was aired on Sunday (August 31). “We will be sending out 80 maths coaches and specialists to 150 primary and secondary schools with the aim of improving the teaching skills of mathematics teachers.  We know we can rely on teachers to support this effort to raise student performance in this crucial subject,” said Minister Thwaites in his address.

The engagement of the coaches represents one component of the Ministry’s response to the less than desirable levels of performance in mathematics, particularly at the secondary level. The Ministry’s thrust is detailed in the National Mathematics Policy and Programme which has been shared with educators across the country.

In addition to the deployment of the practitioners, significant work is being done with the country’s teacher training institutions as well as school principals and boards of management who are being encouraged to pay closer attention to matters relating to the teaching and learning of mathematics.

The Ministry’s thrust to improve performance in mathematics is driven by developments in the global environment which point to an increase in jobs which require mastery of basic and more complex mathematical concepts. In his address Minister Thwaites asserted that Jamaicans must count on maths for our economic success, as mastery of the subject is a predictor of a country’s ability to take advantage of economic opportunities in the 21st Century.

A public education campaign, dubbed Math Counts, has also been developed to support the National Mathematics Programme and to help more Jamaicans develop a positive attitude towards the subject. While there have been recent improvements in national examinations at both the primary and secondary levels, the Ministry of Education is aware that only a sustained effort will result in the desired outcomes.