CHAPTER ONE

MATHEMATICS METHODOLOGY

1.1   Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you should be able to:

i.                    Enumerate the Nigeria’s Philosophy of Education

ii.                  State the objectives of teaching mathematics at the primary and secondary levels

iii.                Describe the significant changes to the mathematics curriculum in Nigeria from the pre-independence era to the present, as well as the causes behind these changes.

1.2   Introduction

The philosophy of any endeavor involves its objectives or motivations. As a country, Nigeria aspires to establish a free and democratic society, a just and equitable society, a unified, strong, and self-reliant nation, a great and dynamic economy, and a place where all residents have access to many possibilities. Since the establishment of formal education in Nigeria in 1842, the mathematics curriculum has undergone several changes. The progression begins with the age of formal Arithmetic, Algebra, and Geometry, continues through the era of traditional mathematics and the contemporary mathematics conflict, and culminates in the current day with daily general mathematics. These changes have always been necessary by the necessity for Nigeria's education system to adapt to the new world order of globalization, ICT, and the role mathematics should play in the nation's scientific and technical growth, as well as in response to social needs and expectations.

1.3   Nigeria’s Philosophy of Education

Based on these governmental goals, the National Policy on Education (NPE, 2013) outlines the Nigerian educational philosophy as follows:

(a) Education is an instrument for societal change and national progress. Every Nigerian has a right to and is required to receive an education, regardless of gender, social status, religion, ethnic background, or any other unique personal challenges;

(b) education is crucial for the promotion of a progressive and united Nigeria;

(c) education maximizes the creative potentials and skills of the individual for self-fulfillment and general societal development;

(d) education is compulsory; and

(e) education is to be qualitative, comprehensive, functional, and relevant to.

1.4   Objectives of Teaching Mathematics at the Primary and Secondary Levels

General Objectives of Primary Education

        i.            The development of lifelong reading and math skills as well as the ability to successfully communicate.

      ii.            The establishment of a solid foundation for analytical and introspective thought

    iii.            Citizenship education provides a foundation for effective participation in and service to society.

    iv.            The development of moral character and healthy attitudes

      v.            Giving the child opportunities to practice manipulative skills that will enable him to function well within the confines of his capacity;

    vi.            fostering in the child the ability to adapt to his changing environment; and

  vii.            laying the groundwork for further educational advancement, including preparing him for the local trades and crafts.

From the above broad aims, Abimbade (1995) produced a list of objectives of mathematics instruction in the primary school; they include the following:

        i.            Provide the kid with the requisite fundamental numeracy abilities

      ii.            Teach the youngster how to apply these skills to solve issues.

    iii.            To teach the kid fundamental manipulation abilities necessary in everyday life.

    iv.            To teach the youngster basic logical reasoning skills.

      v.            To introduce the youngster to the fundamentals of record keeping and all facets of accounting.

The General Objectives of Secondary Education

Section 4, item 18 of the National Policy on Education outlines the objectives of secondary school education as follows:

a.       To increase the number of primary school students who have access to a better education, regardless of their gender, social, religious, or cultural origin.

b.      To broaden its curriculum to accommodate the variety of skills, opportunities, and responsibilities possessed by or available to secondary school pupils.

c.       To prepare pupils to thrive in our contemporary world of science and technology

d.      To cultivate and promote Nigerian culture, art, and language, as well as the cultural legacy of the globe.

e.       Raise a generation of individuals who can think independently, respect the perspectives and feelings of others, respect the dignity of work, and recognize the principles outlined in our broad national objectives and live as decent citizens.

f.       To promote Nigerian unity by emphasizing the links that unite us notwithstanding our differences.

g.      To instill in its students a drive for accomplishment and self-improvement in school and beyond.

h.      In accordance with the above method, the Mathematics Association of Nigeria (MAN) determined the following objectives for teaching mathematics at the secondary level at its 1977 conference in Benin:

1.      To arouse curiosity in mathematics and to give a strong basis for daily life

2.      To acquire computational abilities

3.      Encourage the desire and skill to be correct to a degree commensurate with the issues at hand.

4.      To cultivate accurate, logical, and abstract thinking

5.      To cultivate the capacity to spot issues and solve them using mathematical knowledge.

6.      To give the mathematical foundations essential for higher study, and 7) to inspire and foster creativity.

1.5   Mathematics Curriculum Development in Nigeria from Pre-Independence Era – Date.

On September 24, 1842, Thomas Birch Freeman, an English Missionary, landed in Badagery, Lagos, introducing western-style education to Nigeria. Europeans (white males) arrived in Nigeria not only as merchants and adventurers, but also as missionaries. They brought with them a western-oriented education whose primary purpose was to develop Bible readers and catechists (Odili, 2006). The white man needs natives with reading, writing, and arithmetic skills. Consequently, arithmetic was one of the three R subjects introduced in early schools. The mathematics curriculum at this era consisted of simply elementary arithmetic procedures. This just requires the utilization of the four fundamental processes. The selected topics focused mostly on commercial arithmetic involving percentages, ratios, proportions, profit and loss, interest, discount, and basic measurement. In addition, the curriculum stressed the memorization of multiplication tables and formulas. The publications utilized were entirely of foreign origin: efficient arithmetic, A- Shelling Arithmetic, and Larcombe Arithmetic (Fajemidagba, 2001).

In the southern Christian Missionary Schools, the notion of mathematics as a school topic had formed by the early 1950s, but the subject was taught in three distinct sections: arithmetic, algebra, and geometry. The books usually utilized were Durell, and Channon and Smith, each in 3 – volumes. In 1956, the West African School Certificate Examination includes mathematics as a single subject (WAEC). But arithmetic survives as a standalone topic from mathematics in teacher training institutes.

As a consequence of the Soviet Union launching its first earth-orbiting satellite (Sputnik) in space in November 1957, there was a desire for re-evaluation and reform of the global shift in school mathematics curriculum and program in Europe and America. It was believed that mathematics was the foundation of this technical achievement. Significant shifts from the meaningful arithmetic period to a modern mathematics curriculum with a focus on technology were observed during this time. In 1958, the American School Mathematics Study Group (SMSG) Project, in 1958, the University of Illinois Committee on School Mathematics (UICSM) Project, in 1959, the Greater Cleveland Mathematics Programme, and in 1962, the British School Mathematics Project were all established as a result of the reform. 2012 (Awofala).

At the International Conference on Science in the Advancement of New States at Rehovoth, Isreal, in July, 1960 a plea was made for curriculum reform throughout all of Africa. In 1961, at the Endicott House Conference held in Delham, Massachusetts, the African Education Programme was started in response to the Rehovoth request (AEP). Nigeria participated in conference. The purpose of AEP was to introduce current technique of curriculum creation and adaptation to African’s demands in the fields of languages, mathematics, science and social studies. The African mathematics programme (AMP) was launched in 1962 with workshops held in Entebbe, Uganda and Mombasa, Kenya. AMP aimed to improve the quality of mathematics teaching and to develop in each participating country a cadre of knowledgeable and competent modern mathematics teachers who could lead modernization movements in their respective countries. Other aspects of the initiative focused on the creation of appropriate publications, audiovisual aids, and testing materials. African Mathematics Programme (AMP) was tasked with the preparation and production of teaching textbooks for use in schools, teacher training institutions, and in-service institutions. It was also tasked with the trial teaching and testing of the already produced materials in various schools and colleges, as well as the quantitative and qualitative training of teachers and tutors in the proper use of the materials produced. 54 participants from 13 countries, including Nigeria, attended the first writer's workshop in Entebbe. Between 1962 and 1969, it hosted intense residential workshops and generated more than 80 mathematical texts for elementary and secondary schools, as well as teacher training and sixth form colleges.

The introduction of AMP materials into Nigeria in January 1964 marked the beginning of the modernisation of mathematics. Professor Grace Alele Williams directed the most successful AMP project in Nigeria, which was the Lagos experiment. Grace Alele Williams said that the Lagos pilot study on contemporary mathematics done between 1964 and 1968 was a tremendous success, but this could not be affirmed for other states in the federation. Some Ghanaian school instructors introduced the joint school project (JSP) textbooks as an additional component of the modernisation of the mathematics curriculum.

One of the major events in the history of education in Nigeria was the momentous national conference of curriculum in September, 1969. The meeting was called to re-orient the structure and curriculum provision of Nigeria education to satisfy:

i.           The demands of adolescents and adults in Nigeria; 

ii.         The social-economic needs, values, aspirations, and growth of the Nigerian society; and

iii.       The curriculum substance, the topic material, which is the means to achieve the goals. In 1969, the Nigeria Educational Research Council (NERC), which is now the Nigeria Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), was tasked with creating a new mathematics curriculum (Modern Mathematics).

By January 1971, contemporary mathematics had been implemented in all Lagos elementary schools. The secondary mathematics curriculum was also updated to emphasize the relevance of mathematics. People began to discuss the 6 – Ms of modern mathematics, 'Modern Mathematics enhances the significance of Mathematics. Among the objectives of contemporary mathematics are:

§  Encouraging youngsters to love and comprehend mathematical concepts and principles

§  To guarantee that there is no significant difference in the language of mathematics in elementary and secondary schools, or between secondary and post-secondary schools.

§  To familiarize children with the mathematics encountered in everyday life and to stress their applicability to current practical issues; and - To strengthen the students' problem-solving skills (Odili, 2006).

§  By 1974, contemporary mathematics was taught in nearly all federated nations. The activities of Curriculum Development Agencies supplemented those of NERDC. In 1974, the West African Examination Council (WAEC) incorporates current mathematics into the Schools Certificate Examination. However, the outcome was subpar. In 1975, individuals began to weep at the widespread failure in mathematics. Numerous urged for the eradication of modern mathematics, which was the subject of many accusations.

§  On the 6th and 7th of January, 1977, the Federal Minister of Education invited famous mathematics educators, mathematicians, and others who contributed significantly to the development of mathematics education in Nigeria to a conference in Benin. According to the letter issued to the attendees, the primary goal of the conference was for the participants to advise the government on the content and technique of school mathematics. In his lecture, the then-federal commissioner of education, Dr. (Col.) A.A. Ali, proclaimed the elimination of the teaching of current mathematics without consulting specialists.

§  In response to the eradication of contemporary mathematics, the National Task Force established by the NERC in July 1976 to explore the difficulties facing the teaching of mathematics in Nigerian schools and colleges convened at the University of Ibadan in February 1977. The Task Force's terms of reference were as follows:

1)       To examine the different aspects of the controversy over the teaching of modern' or 'traditional' mathematics in Nigerian schools;

2)       To examine the existing school mathematics curricula in light of this controversy and highlight the problems and issues; and

3)      To make concrete proposals for the development of appropriate mathematics curricula for the various levels, including implementation suggestions.

§  The plenary session was followed by the formation of two working groups, one on primary and teacher education and the other on junior and senior secondary. These two groups worked independently on curriculum, instructor, teaching aids, and school administration for their respective grade levels. The adoption of the Task Force's recommendations by the government resulted in revised curricular standards for the relevant grade levels (Awofala, 2012).

§  National Council on Education (NEC) had a meeting in October 1977 to coordinate the operations of the NERC and Comparative Education Study and Adaptation Centre (CESAC). In March of 1978, these diverse groups presented their work at a national criticism workshop held in Onitsha. The conference adopted the NERC primary syllabus and curriculum with only minor modifications, while the CESAC secondary syllabus was reworked to conform to the new structure of the 6- 3-3-4 system as outlined in the National Policy on Education (FRN, 1977) and divided into two syllabi: the junior secondary mathematics syllabus and the senior secondary mathematics syllabus. 1978 was the year that the Federal Ministry of Education approved the revised curricula. The curriculum was a balance between "traditional" and "contemporary" mathematics. Whereas "modern" mathematics focused the production of concepts and logical reasoning, "traditional" mathematics valued manipulative abilities. The formal implementation of the primary mathematics curriculum began in 1979, while the junior secondary mathematics curriculum was officially presented to junior secondary schools in 1982 and has been in use without significant revisions throughout the years.

The Federal Government of Nigeria's 1999 implementation of the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Programme as an educational reform program paved the way for a comprehensive revision of the elementary and secondary school curriculum. The re-alignment of junior high school with elementary school is one of the fundamental characteristics of the UBE plan. This disarticulation initiative, along with other main objectives, demanded a revision of the current primary and junior secondary school curriculum to accommodate the 9-year basic education program. Changes to the elementary and junior secondary mathematics curricula are a component of this broader reform initiative. The UBE program represents the Nigerian government's plan for implementing the Education for All (EFA) deal. The objectives of UBE as stated in the UBE Act of 2004 are to: (1) Develop in the entire citizenry a strong consciousness for education and a strong commitment to its vigorous promotion; (2) Provide free, universal basic education for every Nigerian child of school-going age; (3) Dramatically reduce the incidence of drop-out from the formal school system (through improved relevance, quality, and efficiency); and (4) Cater for the learning needs of young persons, who for one reason or another are unable to attend formal school. The curriculum revision began in 2001 and lasted until 2007, when the Countrywide Council of Education authorized a revised nine-year basic education curriculum for national implementation in 2008. Awofala (2012) identified many important reasons for the modification of the elementary and junior secondary curriculums. These include:

a.       satisfying the Universal Basic Education Programme's demands

b.      advocating for National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS), Education For All (EFA), and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

c.       the requirement to develop better-informed, Information and Communications Technology (ICT)-compliant, bilingual, high-ethical-standard citizens;

d.      faults with prior curriculum; and

e.       keeping up with emerging global and national concerns.

Among the benefits of the new curriculum are the following:

§  It enables all teachers to teach the same topic in detail;

§  It defines the objectives in learner- performance term and reduces both content and objective to classroom learning experiences for learner;

§  It enables the teachers them to order instruction and work toward the realization of clearly stated performance objective;

§  It includes detail of teacher’s activities and pupil’s activities guide;

§  The learning activities contained in it include inquiry, research and practical work experiment (NERDC, 2004).

 

 

References

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