An official from the West African Examination Council (WAEC), Patrick G Sagbeh, admitted that student’s performances in mathematics is not encouraging despite trainings being provided by government through the Ministry of Education.
Mr. Sagbeh serving as a proxy for Dale Gboto head of WAEC-Liberia, who is the head of the Research, WAEC, Liberia, made the staggering assertions yesterday at the start of a five-day training of MCSS teachers at the William Tubman High School on subject content.
He said despite efforts exerted to improve the educational sector particularly in Mathematics and English which are considered in all members’ countries as a must pass subject along with English, the students are still not performing.
According to researchers, in Liberia, Mathematics is a foundation for science technology in various institutions of learning at Elementary and junior high levels, and because of that, measures have been taken to improve mathematics education in Liberia.
Evidence to that, the government through the Ministry of Education has instituted several measures which include, in-service training, conferences, workshops, seminars among others, but despite these training, students’ performance in mathematics continue to not be encouraging.
He made the statement when an authority of the Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS) on Monday, August 29, commenced the workshop for subject content training for teachers bringing to 750 MCSS teachers at the William V. S Tubman High school in Monrovia.
The subject content conference which among other things brought together 150 MCSS teachers together as a program was designed to train teachers in specific content areas to improve education in Liberia.
The program also brought together experts in subject content areas and teachers teaching the same subject level to help scaffold teachers in specific context areas.
The subjects in consideration include Mathematics (all levels), languish Arts, Social studies, French, General Science (elementary & junior high), reading/phonics, literature including History, Geography, Biology and economics , Civics, Religious and Moral education among other subjects.
Providing an overview at the beginning of the training, Madam Roseline Sherman indicated that the rationale behind the training stemmed from the background that over the years, MCSS and partners have always provided training for teachers with the aim of improving learning outcomes. Most of these training of teachers have always been in the areas of pedagogical and professional setting.
This year’s workshop will bring together about 150 teachers from each batch in the content training workshop.
The system recruits teachers and relies on their educational qualification in terms of content knowledge and as such, refresher workshops at most times don’t consider context knowledge review.
As a result of this, supervisors and school administrators have observed poor performances of teachers in terms of content areas and some teachers at times will jump over particular topics due to limited knowledge in specific areas
“Because of this, students become victims during public tests and national test evaluations. With this in mind, this proposal seeks to train and refresh teachers in content knowledge areas-therefore; the proposal highlights the method and processes of the subject peer review and workshop,” Madam Sherman said.
