Just more than 60 mathematics specialists have been engaged by the Ministry of Education to support efforts aimed at improving mathematics performance. The specialists, who are all trained and experienced teachers with advanced degrees in mathematics education, will be placing much emphasis on primary schools.

In some instances, specialists will be based at schools and will coordinate the delivery of mathematics content. In other instances, they will be assigned to a cluster of schools, and will work closely with principals and teachers of the subject on the effective delivery of content.

Detailed analysis

Special attention will be given to 240 schools which are in need of support. These schools were identified following a detailed analysis of their performance in mathematics.

The deployment of the specialists is a key component of the National Mathematics Strategy, which was launched in June of this year under the Ministry's Education Transfor-mation Programme. The strategy is aimed at addressing chronic levels of underperformance in mathematics at the primary and secondary levels of the education system.

The strategy targets teachers and students by providing intervention for poor-performing students, facilitating opportunities for able and gifted students to be challenged and by investigating the gender achievement gap which exists. The strategy will also influence changes in the curriculum of the country's teacher training colleges.