SCERT blueprint to make maths education interesting

Maths phobia may no longer haunt students

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, April 5: With a large number of students suffering from mathematics phobia, the State Council of Education Research and Training (SCERT) is working on plans to make mathematics an interesting, pragmatic and friendlier subject for students with even a math lab thrown in for good measure.

 “Mathematics phobia is quite an old problem and has been haunting students for several decades. At a time when the education system is witnessing a sea change across the globe through innovation and modernization, it is also time for us to make mathematics more acceptable to students. We are planning to introduce practicals on mathematics at the school level from Class VIII. The practicals will lay stress on making students understand the basics of various theories of mathematics, including geometry,” an Education department official, who preferred to remain anonymous, told this reporter on Thursday.  

Besides introducing practicals on the subject, math labs are also planned to be set up in schools to make mathematics more pragmatic and life-oriented for students.

“The prime objective of the lab is to drive away the fear of mathematics by making the learning process easier and interesting. The lab will use various educatiol tools to teach students the basics of circles, triangles, cubes etc, and solve math puzzles in an innovative way. Schools with adequate and modern infrastructure will be asked to set up the labs,” the official said.

The official said the lab will be equipped with various modern educatiol tools and games to eble students to easily and interestingly solve the maths puzzles and critical theories. “The lab will try to make students understand that maths is interrelated with a lot of activities in our daily life,” he said.

 “I have come across students who are on the verge of a breakdown following their poor performance in maths. Teachers will also have to play a crucial role to develop a positive and confident frame of mind among students towards mathematics,” Abdul Samad, a mathematics  teacher in a private school here said.