The Teach Girls Tech Foundation (TGTF) has trained over 40 secondary and primary school teachers through its i-MathElevate project to improve mathematics performance in Rivers State.
The disclosure was made by TGTF Founder, Engr Ejiroghene John, during a workshop organized by the foundation in partnership with Elsevier MSSF and with the approval of the Rivers Ministry of Education in Port Harcourt on Thursday.
John said the i-MathElevate teachers’ training programme is a two-month virtual learning initiative aimed at addressing declining mathematics performance among students and teachers in Nigeria.
“We are introducing technical games like coding, AR and VR, Rubik’s Cube, abacus, and artificial intelligence to aid maths learning. This will help teachers and students from public and underserved schools use these tools to improve performance in mathematics across all 23 local government areas in Rivers, and eventually across Nigeria,” she said.
According to the TGTF founder, the i-MathElevate Project will impact over 40 schools, 40 teachers, and thousands of students, with a special focus on inclusive teaching practices that support learners with disabilities and those who struggle with mathematics.
John explained that the project will culminate in a student competition and exhibition, where participating schools will showcase projects and learning outcomes. Over 20 schools are expected to receive awards and prizes.
She commended Elsevier MSSF and the Rivers Ministry of Education for their partnership and support.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Rivers State, Mrs Azibaolanari Uzoma Nwogu, represented by Mrs Inisefiekabo Tam Job, said the state government is committed to promoting science and mathematics education.
“Mathematics is not just a subject; everybody needs it. The Ministry of Education is looking at ways to ensure our students excel in their academic work, and that is why we supported this training workshop. We advise all participating teachers to leverage this opportunity to improve themselves and their students,” she said.
Prof. Nduka Wonu, Senior Mathematics Lecturer at Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, said mathematics is crucial for solving Nigeria’s economic challenges and lies at the core of science and technology.
While unveiling the i-MathElevate Project starter packs, Wonu said that mathematical knowledge and problem-solving skills are essential for national development, particularly in areas like machine learning and artificial intelligence.
He identified developmental dyscalculia, a condition that makes it difficult for students to perform calculations, as a major obstacle to learning mathematics and called for the training of teachers to diagnose and address the issue.
Wonu urged the state government to invest more in teacher training and retraining through the i-MathElevate programme to improve mathematics performance in Rivers schools.
