Medinat Folorunsho Salman, professor of Mathematics Education, University of Ilorin, said Mathematics is an essential requirement for national development and an indispensable tool for human survival, irrespective of culture, sex, race, discipline and religious affiliations.
Salman, stated this while delivering the one hundred and sixty eighth (168th), inaugural lecture of University of Ilorin, entitled “Language and Problem Solving; The Mathematics Education Link”, held recently at the University’s auditorium.
Problem solving according to her is a goal, a process, a basic skill, and necessary minimum requirement for life. Mathematics is a veritable tool for effective and efficient outcome. One of the goals of teaching secondary school mathematics is to develop in children the ability to recognise problems and solve them with mathematical knowledge.
“The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM, 1980), recommended that problem solving be the focus of mathematics teaching because it encompasses skills and functions, which are important parts of everyday life” Salman said.
The inaugural lecturer added that: “mathematics has met cultural demand in the past and therefore, the future development of our culture is largely dependent on the establishment of ‘mathematics culture’. This means the ability, readiness and willingness to always think and act logically to use implications and logical deductions in our decision making process; to be free from prejudice and supervision; to behave in accordance with the laws of cause and mathematical in our thinking.”
Some factors responsible for poor performance of students and deficiency in mathematics from primary to higher institutions, include lack of competent and qualified teachers handling the subject, poor foundation laid at the primary level, word problems, poor mastery of the technical terms, inadequate understanding of mathematics language, inability to translate instruction and expression properly, and dislike for certain topics by teachers.
She said: “The role of teachers at all levels of education is emphasised in the National Policy on Education that no nation or educational system can rise above the quality of its teachers. It is therefore imperative for teachers of mathematics to adopt the use of effective instructional strategies that would enhance and encourage the students to meaningful acquire the knowledge of mathematics and problem solving skills, so that they can adequately participate in science and technology programmes at institutions of higher learning.
Salman added, “this is necessary because without mathematics, there is no science without science, there is no modern technology; and without modern technology, there is no modern society.”
The lecturer recommended that, government needs to ensure teaching of mathematics at all levels of education should be handled by professional teachers only, teachers should develop the ability to relate the content/knowledge to real life situations by engaging students in practical activities relevant to the content, they should always pre-teach mathematics terminologies and symbols before teaching the actual topic.
The University don who noted that it is teachers’ competence, ability, resourcefulness, and ingenuity through effective utilisation of appropriate language, methodology and available instructional materials that could bring the best from learners in terms of academic achievement.
She equally said that, the Ministry of Education should organise regular training workshops and seminars for mathematics teachers at primary and secondary school levels, and the need for the ministry to get periodic feedback from researches conducted on challenges facing teaching and learning of mathematics from faculties of education in Nigerian universities in order to assist in the implementation of recommendations made from such studies.
SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin
