Shillong: Education Minister Rakkam A Sangma announced on Friday that the state government is throughout deliberating whether to introduce mathematics as a mandatory subject in school education level.
Speaking to reporters, Sangma revealed that a meeting had taken place with principals from over 30-40 secondary and higher secondary schools to discuss this proposition.
He noted that several principals expressed concerns about learning outcomes and recommended revising certain textbooks to align with national standards.
“While many advocate for making mathematics compulsory, the government has yet to reach a decision. We will carefully evaluate the opinions and suggestions put forth by the principals. Personally, I, along with many educators and principals, believe that mathematics should not be an optional subject,” Sangma asserted. Currently, students select the best of five out of six subjects.
The minister emphasized that if given the option, a substantial majority (90%) of students would likely choose to forego mathematics.
“Allowing this would lead to a preference for an easier and more comfortable path. In my view, pursuing higher education without mathematics is not advisable in this day and age. We possess the same cognitive capabilities as the global community, and this is a decision that merits careful consideration and review,” he added.
Sangma also disclosed that the department has tasked the Directorate of Educational Research and Training (DERT) with conducting a study on students’ performance in mathematics before potentially making it an optional subject.
“We want to understand how many students excel in mathematics and how many choose to opt out before making any decisions. We have requested detailed data from the Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBOSE) and DERT to ensure we have a comprehensive understanding of this matter,” Sangma concluded.
