Schools to compete in Math Power Contest

Vital said the idea is the raise the standard of Mathematics in schools
Vital said the idea is the raise the standard of Mathematics in schools

Students of primary and secondary schools around the island are to compete in the Math Power Contest, launched at a ceremony on Friday morning, under the theme “Mental Maths Matters.”

The competition is expected to begin with Primary School Eliminations on March 20th, and continue with Primary School Semi-finals on March 21st.
On April 12th, Secondary School Eliminations will take place, followed by Primary and Secondary School Finals, on April 20th.

Learning Support Advisor and Coordinator of the Math Power Contest, Clement Vital, said that the competition, introduced in 2009, has achieved one of its chief goals by contributing to the improvement of students’ Mathematics education and performance. Yet, he expressed that Ministry of Education Officials are not satisfied with the results in Mathematics, and will continue to strive for greater performance in the subject.

“Our objectives were to: number one, raise the standard of Mathematics education in the primary and secondary schools in Dominica, to awaken the interest and appreciation to teach all the strands on Mathematics by our Maths teachers, and, as a result, facilitating greater understanding and learning among our students. Number three, to stimulate the teaching and learning of mental strategies. And, finally, to promote insight into the higher levels of the mathematical world,” he explained. “Over the past five years, we, at the Ministry of Education, have seen gradual increases in the overall performance of Mathematics, both at the primary and secondary levels. But, we are not at a point where we are satisfied.”

He went on to reveal the structure of the competition, which is open to all primary and secondary schools island-wide.

“The competition will be divided into three categories: upper primary (Grades 4 to 6), lower secondary (Forms 1 to 3), and upper secondary (Forms 4 to 5). Two students from each participating school will team up for two rounds of intensive problem solving,” Vital elaborated. “In the first round… dubbed ‘Mental Maths’ or ‘Speed and Accuracy Round’, students will be required to work out a series of Math problems in their heads—no paper, no pencils, no calculators will be allowed; and, students will have fifteen seconds to answer each question. …In the second round, the ‘Problem-solving Round’, students will have to answer a series of challenging Math problems. They will, however, be able to use pen, pencils, paper, or calculators in this round, and will have 30 seconds to present the correct answer.”

Minister for Education and Human Resource Development, Petter Saint Jean, referred to the contest as an “effective” and “fun” means of garnering students’ interest in Mathematics, which will positively impact their development, and in turn, the society.

“The Math Power Contest is an effective way to generate interest in the subject area, because it is a fun way to get students to study and practice towards a specific goal. And, success in the area of Mathematics is directly linked to the overall success of our students… A mastery of mathematics is imperative if we are to turn out well-rounded students, who can make a meaningful contribution to the society that they are part of.”

He revealed that the Ministry of Education is ensuring that teachers — particularly in schools which students’ performance in Mathematics is underwhelming — through various training programs, have been and are being well-equipped and qualified to teach Mathematics.

“Further, we are targeting specifically, low-performing schools which appear to be more prone to underperformance in the area of Mathematics. One of the ways that we are doing this is by ensuring that our teachers are equipped to deliver Mathematics effectively,” Saint Jean divulged. “In fact, under the recently completed Dominica Education Enhancement Project, several of our teachers completed, or are working on completing, degree and diploma programs in Mathematics. Furthermore, we recently completed a numeracy consultancy, which involved the training of Grade 2 teachers, and already, this has resulted in improved performance at the Grade 2 and Grade 4 National Assessments in the area of numeracy.”

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1 Comment

  1. Dr. Sam
    March 13, 2016

    Mathematics is the essential foundation to science. It is an important barometer determining whether a culture is ready for the technological age.

    The subject is often regarded as boring and nerdy. Therefore I extend heartfelt congratulations to the Ministry of Education and teachers around the island. You consistently strive to make maths more exciting. That’s why it’s so brilliant to see how you are nurturing unique talent and rewarding hard work.

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