Retired principal of the Montego Bay Community College Dr Angela Harris (left) delivers her remarks to an appreciative audience during her lecture on “Mathematics ‘Head-ucation’: Preventing Math Phobia” at The University of Technology, Jamaica Western Campus in Montego Bay, recently.

The lecture by Dr Samuels Harris formed part of the 60th Anniversary Lecture Series, at the university.

Dr Samuels Harris cited the need for a new approach to teaching maths, and expressed concern at the unsatisfactorily low pass rates by students sitting mathematics examinations.

Referring to statistics from the Ministry of Education, she noted that of the number that sits the mathematics examination in CSEC, only 67 per cent passed in 2017 and in GSAT the national average was 63 per cent, adding that passes in Grade 4 Numeracy Tests, have been very poor.

“Too many of us see mathematics as difficult, impossible to learn, boring, mysterious and meaningless,” she stressed, adding that “there is a very good reason to be concerned about mathematics education in Jamaica.”

She noted too that a high rate of high school graduates do not sit CSEC mathematics because it is believed they are unable to manage the subject.