December 29, 2014 – The Lagos State Government has put together a mathematics clinic for 440 mathematics teachers drawn from the six educational districts as part of efforts to improve student’s performance in the West African Examination Council(WAEC), University Matriculation Examination(UME) and other examinations.
Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye, who disclosed this in Lagos , explained that the objective of the training is to update the knowledge of mathematics teachers in the state public secondary schools and also improve methods of teaching and learning of the subject in schools.
“The objective of the clinic is to improve the teaching skills and competences of the mathematics teachers, to expose them to some new topics in secondary school mathematics; innovative methods of teaching mathematics and to also provide them with instructional materials for effective teaching of mathematics” she said.
Oladunjoye noted that the training had focused on different strategies including active learning, effective teaching, use of resource materials such as teaching modules and kits for effective teaching in secondary schools, simplification of difficult concepts in mathematics and practical steps for effective teaching of subject topics among others.
She pointed out that other areas of focus include how to increase interest of students in mathematics, effective counselling of students, setting up of mathematics laboratories in schools, use of games for effective teaching, use of computer in teaching, assessment and grading for effective evaluation procedure, popularization of mathematics in schools, content mastering and innovative teaching and learning skills.
Oladunjoye averred that with the training, she expects the teachers to come up with new ways, methodologies and materials of teaching mathematics with a view to making the subject interesting and appealing to students in order to improve students’ performance examination.
