Making Mathematics fun!
─ Department of Education hosts Mathematics Walk and exhibition for Primary Schools
By Nateshia Isaacs
DPI, Guyana, Friday, June 7, 2019
Mathematics is fun, and the Ministry of Education is sparing no effort to make this known. Today, scores of children participated in the inaugural Mathematics walk and exhibition.
The walk ushered in an atmosphere of love for the subject by the 28 primary schools which participated. The students walked from the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) in Woolford Avenue to Queen’s College at Camp Road, Georgetown.
Students were thrilled to be engaged in the activity. 11-year old Akeiylah Thornhill told the Department of Public Information (DPI) that “Math is fun because when we are working the problems [after a while], you don’t really have to [work so hard] sometimes it just comes naturally.”
Sophia John, a student of the North Georgetown Primary, related her love for mathematics. “I think Maths is interesting because you can learn new stuff. The fun thing I like about Maths is that you can teach people about what’s new and what they don’t know.”
The exhibition was hosted at the Queen’s College. The students created interactive Mathematics material.
District Education Officer of the Primary Division, Adrian Elgin said the intention is to build awareness and increase love for Mathematics.
Elgin further explained that the idea was birthed because of the prevalence of science fairs. He thought it would be a marvellous idea to rally support to create an annual Mathematics walk, exhibition and fair to develop greater appreciation and love for the subject and to change the learning experiences of children in the subject.
The Education Ministry has embarked on several initiatives to improve the quality of learning while revamping the curriculum and making learning environments more conducive for all learners.
In 2017, the ministry piloted a Mathematics Camp geared at improving learning outcomes of Grade Six pupils at the National Grade Six Assessment.
Images: Giovanni Gajie