Employ more math specialists

The Editor,
Sir:

In response to Education Minister Andrew Holness' suggestion in
The Gleaner
of February 25 to recruit teachers from abroad, I suggest that we desist from badgering and underrating ourselves. Certainly, I strongly believe that the solution(s) to our mathematics problems are right here before our very eyes.

I have discovered from years ago that one of the contributing factors to our continued general failure at math lies inside the basic and primary schools. Many of these teachers are afraid of the subject and hence do a bad job. They also pass on negative attitudes about the subject to students. I therefore suggest that:

Specialist math teachers be placed in each primary school who will teach all the math.

All basic school teachers be required to pass math at least at the CSEC level.

Students be encouraged through a national campaign to practise math on a daily basis as no magician from here or abroad can "learn them" the math they need.

The Ministry of Education utilises its trained math specialists.

All high schools be mandated to establish math labs for each grade.

I am, etc.,

AINSWORTH D.M. FORSYTHE

1alcapone@live.com

Guy's Hill High School,

St Catherine