Ghana's maths Books Are 'Colo'

The mathematics textbooks currently being used in primary and junior secondary Schools (JSS) throughout the country are outmoded, says the vice-chancellor of the University of Winneba (UEW), Professor Jophus Anamuah-Mensah. As a result, Ghanaian students performed disgracefully in an international examination in 2003. Ghana was last but one out of 46 countries.

He has, therefore, urged the education authorities to discard the outdated books without delay and replace them with those that are internationally relevant and applicable.

Prof. Anamuah-Mensah was addressing the West African Examinations Council?s (WAEC) monthly seminar in Accra last Friday at which he presented an overview of the results of an international mathematics and science survey (TIMSS).

Prof Anamuah-Mensah?s topic was ?Ghanaian JSS Two Students? Abysmal Mathematics Achievement in TIMSS 2003: A Consequence of the Basic School Mathematics Curriculum.?

The examination is an international mathematics and science assessment test for eight graders (JSS 2).

In the 2003 survey in which Ghana participated, 5,114 JSS Two students selected from 150 private and public schools nationwide took part . Singapore came first in that test and South Africa came last. Other African countries which participated were Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco and Botswana.

Obviously appalled at the result, Prof. Anamuah-Mensah pointed out emphatically that the country?s mathematics curriculum does not meet global requirements in school mathematics.