THE education sector fears a drop in proportion of aspiring teachers who study mathematics for HSC could lead to more teachers with fewer numeracy skills going into classrooms.
A University of Sydney study recently showed that in the past 10 years fewer students studied maths in their senior years at high school.
The trend has drawn concern from universities that stated the decline did not match the NSW government's plan to increase numeracy skills among the next generation of teachers.
The research conducted between 2011 and 2013 revealed that in 2013, 4.8 per cent of students who received an offer to study a teaching degree studied maths for their HSC, compared to 15.6 per cent in 2001.
Maths is an elective subject in year 12 but the new national curriculum includes maths for the final two years of high school.
From next year, students must also pass numeracy and literacy tests before they teach.
The tests, which were introduced by the federal government's response to a review of teacher education, aim to improve the quality of teacher training.
Sutherland Shire Christian School principal Brett Hartley said while most students wanted to study maths at senior level at his school, fewer opted to take on more challenging (extension) levels of maths.
"It's difficult to be sure of the reasons for this trend," Mr Hartley said.
He said maths was critical for developing logical thinking, which is a skill that was valuable in all areas of life.
"Even students who are not interested in pursuing maths in their careers learn to develop accuracy of work," he said.
"[But] forcing students to do maths for the HSC won't improve mathematical competence to any great degree because students won't take the course seriously."
Mr Hartley said mandatory numeracy testing lifted the abilities of teachers.
But he said this must be supported by helping students to develop a love of maths at school.
