Many Illawarra school principals do not agree with the federal government’s idea to force year 11 and 12 students to study maths and science.
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Education Minister Christopher Pyne will raise the issue when he meets with state and territory counterparts on Friday, after statistics revealed a steady decline in the subjects over the past 10 years.
Woonona High School principal Belinda Wall believes there are great benefits of continuing studies in maths and science, but doesn’t think making it mandatory would necessarily benefit students.
‘‘I think [the government] needs to look at the bottom end ... and how mathematics is being taught in primary schools, and what they’re bringing into high school with them,’’ she said.
Ms Wall said her school focused on encouraging students from year 7, and used links to how maths and science were used outside of school to highlight the importance of undertaking the subjects.
According to a survey by the Mathematical Association of NSW, 24 per cent of students in regional schools are enrolled in a calculus course.
Only 2 per cent of students enrol in Mathematics Extension 2 compared with 11 per cent in Sydney.
For Mathematics Extension 1, the figures are 7 per cent in regional schools and 17 per cent in Sydney metropolitan schools.
Dapto High principal Andrew FitzSimons said he had seen a decline in students taking on the subjects, however he had also seen an increase in ‘‘contextual maths’’ being taught in other subjects.
‘‘If you do building and construction you do lots of measuring and estimating, the same if you do retail or hospitality,’’ he said.
‘‘Even in the entertainment course they’re measuring angles for which way to put the light and how much power you need.
‘‘Mr Pyne is a long way from the operation of schools and if maths was made compulsory we would end up with very unhappy students, parents and teachers.’’
Mr FitzSimons agreed it was important for teenagers to leave school with basic numeracy skills, but believed forcing them to take on maths and science was limiting the other learning opportunities of subjects they were more interested in which might also involve forms of mathematical and science skills.
Corrimal High principal Mark King sees the importance of maths and science, but believes there are also reasons to make other subjects like history or information technology compulsory.
‘‘The only subject at present which is mandatory is English, which allows kids to choose the subjects that best meet their needs for entry into university or TAFE, or heading into the workplace,’’ Mr King said.