The Shortage of Qualified Mathematics Teachers is Becoming a Concern

Fewer than one in four Australian high school students have a qualified math teacher, and the situation is about to get worse, with a projected boom in student numbers following a 30-year decrease in the supply of new teachers trained in Maths.

"The current difficulties with teaching outside of the field, and meeting enrollment needs, are compounded by the fact that Australia has not prepared enough math teachers for years," according to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald. by the Australian Institute of Mathematical Sciences.

About 75 percent of students in grades 7 through 10 already receive mathematics instruction for at least one year from a teacher who is not trained in the subject area and the situation will get worse, and an additional 650,000 students are expected. throughout the country by 2026.

The co-author of the report, Jan Thomas, a senior member of AMSI, said that programs to retrain existing teachers in mathematics are behind schedule and are now likely to be the only way to address the shortage.

"The time has passed when the government should have done something and the only way, we can get more qualified teachers in the schools quickly is to retrain existing teachers in other areas that are already being asked to teach math".

Ms. Thomas said that any successful program should be divided into small, flexible units that could be combined to complete a grade and complete during breaks in teaching periods.

AMSI director Tim Brown said the problem will continue to worsen as students who are now being taught by teachers off campus enter the university.

Professor Brown said the issue is urgent and that AMSI will raise the federal government after the elections next week.

"Obviously, it's also a matter of state and territorial governments, but it's something that needs to be done nationally and that should have happened a long time ago," said Professor Brown.

By: Preeti Narula

Content: https://vision.org.au/radio/news/shortage-of-qualified-maths-teachers-a-concern/