More students will not only want to study maths in their final years of school, but will excel.
This is the NSW government’s plan, and in taking steps to make it a reality, it has launched a new strategy to boost skills in areas where graduating students will most benefit in the workplace.
Through a pilot program, the government will introduce a new mathematics course that aims to attract students into the subject. It will focus on numeracy and practical applications for everyday life.
The government will work with universities to further incentivise students to take higher level HSC maths courses.
There will be 320 scholarships valued at $50,000 each for STEM undergraduates and those who wish to change careers to fund the cost of a Master’s degree.
It also recruit 100 new specialist teachers trained in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) for primary schools, in the next five years, and will introduce maths ‘ambassadors’ to boost students’ love of the subject.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Education Minister Rob Stokes announced the plan this month.
“About 82 per cent are currently taking up maths-based subjects in their HSC,” Ms Berejiklian said. “We hope to see this number get closer to 100 per cent.
“My vision is for every child in NSW to have the necessary maths skills to succeed in life – whether that’s managing home budgets or preparing them for the high tech jobs that will be on offer in coming years.”
“Everyone can be good at maths with the right support, encouragement and hard work,” Mr Stokes said. “I want more students to develop an early interest in maths so that they are able to participate in more advanced mathematics subjects in the later years of schooling.
“Our maths teachers all around NSW do a brilliant job of inspiring students to improve their mathematical literacy from kindergarten all the way through to the HSC.”
Maths is the most popular elective subject in the HSC this year, with more than 58,000 students out of more than 76,000 sitting the HSC, choosing to study it.
The first maths exam of the 2018 HSC is on Thursday.
