By Emmanuel Oloniruha
The Chief Examiner for General Mathematics at the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), Gwagwalada Centre, Mr Samson Olubenga Otunubi, has identified regular practice and consistency as essential to overcoming students’ fear of Mathematics.
Otunubi stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
He said the perception that Mathematics was difficult had discouraged many students, describing the subject as one of the easiest to master with the right attitude and sustained practice.
According to him, poor performance in the subject is influenced by factors such as ineffective teaching methods, negative societal perceptions, lack of interest and misconceptions passed from one generation to another.
“Students must practice regularly and solve mathematical problems consistently. The more they practice, the more confident they become,” he said.
He urged students to develop interest in the subject and relate mathematical concepts to everyday activities to improve understanding.
Otunubi said students who mastered the subject could achieve excellent results, including perfect scores.
He advised parents to support their children’s learning by providing relevant textbooks and engaging qualified Mathematics teachers where necessary.
He also called on schools to engage competent teachers, motivate them adequately and provide sufficient instructional materials to enhance teaching and learning.
Describing Mathematics as the foundation of many disciplines, Otunubi said proficiency in the subject enhances students’ performance in other areas of study and expands their career opportunities.
He commended recent education reforms, including the introduction of vocational and entrepreneurial education, but cautioned against lowering Mathematics requirements for arts students.
According to him, maintaining high academic standards would encourage students to take their studies more seriously.
On the increasing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Otunubi said the technology could improve learning if properly used but warned that students should not depend on it entirely.
He said AI was useful for learning but could generate inaccurate responses, advising students to build sufficient knowledge to verify the correctness of its outputs.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Gregg Mmaduakolam/Halima Sheji