SHILLONG, JULY 28: An innovative method of teaching math in the foundation classes in Meghalaya has made ‘Maths phobia’ a thing of the past and transformed the subject into a fun-filled activity for learners.
With the state government roping in an NGO three years ago to address the problem, innovative teaching methods have been taken up at the primary level and the results are encouraging.
At present, over a lakh students in primary and secondary schools across the state are benefitting from the project that incorporates stories, colours, shapes and songs in the process, state director of School Education and Literacy Ambrose Ch Marak told PTI.
He said there has been an improvement in the quality of mathematics education in primary classes and the results are encouraging.
The phobia that used to affect many has now undergone a change following the government roped in the NGO, ‘Jodo Gyan’, three years ago to help solve the problem, he said.
The NGO, which has trained teachers from over 4,000 government and government-aided schools in the state, discourages the use of the traditional ‘chalk and talk’ method, a representative of the NGO said.
Rather, it stresses on the interactive method that allows a child to learn while playing, she said.
A visit to one of the beneficiary schools under Mawkynrew Community and Rural Development block, considered to be one of the most backward areas in the state, gave an idea about the interest it has kindled among the students.
There were blocks, coloured cards, beads, number cards, shapes and a variety of number games in the classrooms at the Mawsynjri ULP School where there are 24 students in classes 1 and 2.
“The enthusiasm for the subject is so much that at any given time, most of the children are ready to learn math for the entire day”, a teacher said.
“It is so much fun. I can do jumping numbers, I can also find out the missing number and I have even started playing these number games at home with my siblings,” an elated seven year-old L Mynsong said.
This method had been highly rated by the Commonwealth Education Good Practice Awards jury last year.
Based on the positive feedbacks received from the schools identified in the pilot project, the Union Ministry for Human Resources Development had given its nod to expand the project from 1000 schools to 4000 lower primary schools last year and another 57 secondary schools.
