Latest update May 12th, 2024 12:59 AM
Nov 15, 2016 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom
The government proposes to spend US$245,000 to stem the crisis in mathematics. This is unbelievably true!
The government of Guyana, with a Budget in excess of US$1 billion, is spending less than a quarter of a million dollars trying to improve the performance of mathematics within the school system.
It is better that the government did not spend any money at all. It makes no sense to be trying to do something when whatever will be done will make no impact. An investment of more than US$5M is needed to address the problem with mathematics in Guyana’s school system.
How much is the government spending on its media outfits and personnel? What is the cost to taxpayers of GINA, the Department of Public Information, the Press Department of the Ministry of the Presidency, the public relations officers in the various ministries etc.? The cost is sure likely to exceed US$245,000 per annum.
It makes a mockery of the amount of money that the government proposes to spend on mathematics to try and improve passes. The government is spending more on its media relations than it is doing to try and increase the passes in a subject which is considered a core subject.
The problem is one of priorities. If mathematics is as important as it is made out to be, then more money has to be put into it. But this is not happening.
It will take more than money, of course, to improve the performance of mathematics in Guyana. It will take years for improvement to come by.
The previous administration did spend a huge sum of money trying to boost passes in Mathematics and English. The results were modest after the first year and modest after the second year. Money to buy material and teaching aids is not the answer.
Many years ago, Desmond Hoyte faced the same problem. His solution was to bring in teachers from Sri Lanka. The performance of children who were taught by the Sri Lankans improved, but because only a small number of teachers came, the impact of their teaching was not felt throughout the system and the overall performance did not get better.
Teaching is clearly the answer to the problem. You cannot take teachers who have a Grade Three in CSEC and put them to teach mathematics in our schools. You do not have, however, enough teachers trained in mathematics at the undergraduate level to swamp the system in Guyana.
What the educational system needs to improve the standard of mathematics, is for the schools to be inundated with mathematics teachers. Swamping the system with persons who have done mathematics at least at CAPE or ‘A’ levels is one short-term solution to the problem. There are lots of kids who have done well in mathematics at these levels who should be put to work in our weaker schools to try to improve the teaching of mathematics.
They could be employed on a part-time basis, since many of them may be pursuing further studies. But they can be put to use until a medium term solution is found.
Teachers are not paid according to the subject they teach. They are paid according to their level as a teacher and whether they are untrained or trained, or trained or untrained graduates.
It should be obvious by now that incentives must be provided to encourage teachers to pursue higher training in mathematics. Perhaps teachers who wish to pursue a degree in mathematics can be given some financial incentive. The same can apply to English.
Things can be turned around. But it will take effort and it will take lots of money.
The government has the money, but it is spending it, unfortunately, in the wrong areas. But that is your typical government. Is it not?
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