There are schools where not a single student passed Mathematics subject, and this is a matter of great concern: Ihusan

Former Deputy Minister of Education Mohamed Ihusan has expressed concern over the fact that there are schools in the Maldives where not a single student managed to pass the subject of Mathematics.

Speaking on RaajjeTV’s "Fala Surukhee" program on Monday night, Ihusan stated that student results in Mathematics are estimated to have fallen below 30 percent. He further noted that the average performance in this subject typically ranges between 50 and 60 percent.

Furthermore, Ihusan noted that student results are no longer released into the public domain as they were in the past.

Mathematics has consistently been the poorest performing subject in the Maldives in recent years, particularly over the last decade and a half. To what extent has it declined? While students generally achieve pass rates between 80 and 90 percent in other subjects, the results for mathematics typically hover between 50 and 60 percent. We currently lack specific data on the exact extent of the decline mentioned by the Minister, as these results have not been made public. There are schools in the Maldives with otherwise capable students where not a single individual managed to pass the mathematics examination.

Mohamed Ihusan

Furthermore, Ihusan stated that some schools have gone three to four months without teaching mathematics due to a shortage of teachers. He noted that the primary reason for this is the difficulty foreign teachers face in remitting money abroad, leading many to leave the Maldives for other countries.

Minister of Education Dr. Ismail Shafeeu stated that efforts are underway to address this issue by allocating more time to Mathematics and publishing books designed to spark students' interest in the subject. However, Ihusan noted that Mathematics is already one of the subjects where students spend the most time and are provided with the greatest amount of books and resources in the Maldives.

Ihusan also expressed concern that poor performance in mathematics would diminish students' critical thinking abilities, which in turn would negatively impact the nation's overall productivity.

To address this issue, Ihusan urged the National Institute of Education to strengthen its efforts and adopt a 'whole-school' approach in providing professional support to teachers.

This year's O-Level examinations are scheduled to begin this coming September. The mock examinations, held to prepare students for the finals, are slated to take place in August.