School teachers in Lagos

The Lagos State Government on Monday said that 440 Mathematics teachers were undergoing a clinic to improve the performance of students in public schools in the subject.

Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye, the Commissioner for Education, who gave the figure in a statement in Lagos, said that the participants were drawn from the six educational districts of the state.

Oladunjoye said that the objective of the training was to update the knowledge of the teachers in mathematics, in the state public secondary schools.

According to her, the training will also improve the teaching and learning of the subject in schools, with a view to achieving improved performance.

She said that the training focused on different strategies, which include active learning and use of resource materials such as teaching modules and kits for effective teaching in secondary schools.

The commissioner said that the clinic would also help with strategies in the teaching of difficult concepts in mathematics in secondary schools and practical steps for effective teaching of subject topics.

“The objective of the clinic is to improve the teaching skills and competences of the mathematics teachers and to expose them to some new topics in secondary school mathematics.

“It will also expose them to some model and innovative methods of teaching mathematics, as well as provide teachers and schools with model and innovative instructional materials for effective teaching of the subject,” she said.

Oladunjoye said the training would also focus on how to generate the interest of students in the subject, effective counselling of students and setting of mathematics laboratories in schools.

She said other areas include use of games for effective teaching, use of computer in teaching, assessment and grading for effective evaluation procedure and popularisation of mathematics in schools.

According to her, it will also cover content mastering and innovative teaching and learning skills.

The commissioner said the training was necessitated by the need to address the challenge faced by students in mathematics and improve their performance in the subject, which is the bedrock of any nation’s development.

Oladunjoye said the teachers would come up with new ways, methodologies and materials of teaching mathematics and make the subject interesting and appealing to students, to improve their performance in examinations