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Advisory group reccommends measures to reduce failure rates in O/L maths
View(s):Restructuring the Ordinary Level Exam mathematics paper, emphasising the importance of learning traditional tables, increasing mathematics periods in schools and establishing a maths teacher training college, are among recommendations made by a group of experts in the field of education.
The Education Ministry appointed a nine-member advisory committee to look into the failure rate at the Ordinary Level (O/L) Exam mathematics paper after 42 percent (112,969 students) who sat last December’s examination failed in mathematics. The committee was requested to submit its recommendations.
The advisory committee has suggested preparing Paper I only including basic learning concepts and Paper II covering the whole syllabus. By this, students with lowest achievement level can score from the first paper as 50 percent of the marks are suggested to be allocated to that paper.
Another suggestion is to emphasise the importance of traditional maths tables and to prepare the mathematics primary and secondary syllabuses in a way that it improves gradually in a pattern the students will understand.
The committee has also recommended increasing to seven study periods for students of Grade 6 to 9, increasing to eight study periods for Grade 10 and 11 students and conducting mock tests prepared by the Examinations Department and sent to schools through provincial education directors.
The advisory committee also proposes to introduce an examination framework, blueprints and prototype tests thereby giving a broader knowledge of the examination system and the question papers.
The committee has also recommended the recruitment of mathematics teachers and has proposed to introduce a proper mechanism to recruit and deploy teachers.
Amending the maths course at colleges of education, establishing units in provincial education offices, establishing a new teacher training college for mathematics teachers, strengthening the school assessment system are some of the suggestions made by the advisory committee.
Establishing a National Mathematics Foundation, like the present National Science Foundation, is also among the recommendations.
The Committee consisted of co-chairmen Prof. A.K.W. Jayawardena, Vice Chancellor of the Moratuwa University and Prof. Ranjith Premalal de Silva, Vice Chancellor of the Uva Wellassa University.
The other members of the committee are Prof. S. Sri Sathgunerajah, Head of the Jaffna University’s Science Faculty, Kelaniya University Senior Lecturers Dr. Upali Mampitiya and Dr. D.K. Mallawarachchi, Colombo University Senior Lecturer Dr. Ms. D.R. Jayawardena, Sri Jayawardhanapura University Senior Lecturer Dr. Nalin Ganegoda, Dr. B.A. Ekanayake Senior Lecturer and Education Specialist, National Institute of Education (NIE), and retired Maths branch Director Wijedasa Hewawitharana.
Co-Chairman Prof. Jayawardena told Education Times that the committee forwarded the recommendations and they hav to be implemented by the education authorities in order to increase the success rate.
Education Minister Bandula Gunewardena earlier said that organisations such as the World Bank have expressed concern over student failure in Maths saying that the failure rate has been continuing for about three decades.
In 1994, 219,585 (67.4%) students failed O/L Maths, in 2005 it was 287,210 (56.7%) students, in 2009 it was 169, 945 (49.83%) students, and last year 112,969 (42.7%).
He said that the Government plans to bring down the failure rate to 20 percent in the coming years by implementing the recommendations made by the experts.
(Nadia Fazlulhaq)